Projective Techniques

Theoretical Framework or Projective Techniques

Freuds discovery of psychoanalysis became the basis of all projective techniques.
It is based on projection. A defense mechanism with which the ego protects itself from
anxiety by externalizing unpleasant feeling or experiential element.
Nature of Projective Techniques
A projective technique provides the subject with a stimulus situation, giving him an
opportunity to impose upon it his own private needs and his particular perceptions
and interpretations.
The projective techniques are also called projective tests or projective devices or
projective tools or projective methods. Projective tests are as such not tests. They
are not measuring proficiency or ability or achievement. They are revealing certain
aspects of personality.
A projective technique is a tool which is considered especially sensitive to
unconscious aspects of behavior; it permits or encourages a wide variety of subject
responses, is highly multidimensional, and it evokes unusually rich response data
with a minimum of subject awareness concerning the purpose of the test.
The nature of projective techniques connotes its procedure also. Basic procedure
common to all projective techniques is
1. To present the subject with a series of fluid, weakly structured stimuli;
2. To give instructions that emphasize freedom of response;
3. To analyze his productions for insight into his basic personality dynamics.
Projective techniques are typically divided into five groups (Linzey, 1959):
1. Associative techniques in which a particular stimulus is used to elicit the first
thing that occurs in the subjects mind.
Ex. Word Association, Rorschach Inkblot Test
2. Completion techniques in which the subject is required to complete sentences
or drawings (sentence completion or captions in comic-strip callouts).
Ex. Rotter Incomplete Sentence Blank
3. Constructive techniques in which the subject is required to create a drawing,
sculpture, or story.
Ex. Thematic Apperception Test, Blacky Pictures test
4. Choice/ordering techniques in which the subject is required to choose from a
group, or to order a group (of pictures, sentences, etc.).
Ex. Szondi Test, Picture Arrangement Test
5. Expressive techniques in which the subject is required to organize and
incorporate a particular stimulus into a self-expressive process, such as role
playing, psychodrama, dance, etc.
Ex. Play, Drawing and Painting
Projective Techniques

Common Variants of Projective Techniques:

1. Rorschach Test. The best known and most frequently used projective test is the
Rorschach inkblot test, in which a subject is shown a series of ten irregular but
symmetrical inkblots, and asked to explain what they see.
2. Holtzman Inkblot Test. This is a variation of the Rorschach test, but uses a much
larger pool of different images. Its main differences lie in its objective scoring criteria as
well as limiting subjects to one response per inkblot (to avoid variable response
productivity).
3. Thematic Apperception Test. A projective measure intended to evaluate a person's
patterns of thought, attitudes, observational capacity, and emotional responses to
ambiguous test materials.
4. Behavioral Test. A test where the subject is asked to draw a picture of a man, woman,
and themselves. It is used to measure nonverbal intelligence or to screen emotional or
behavioral disorders.
5. Graphology. A pseudoscientific analysis of the physical characteristics and patterns
of handwriting purporting to be able to identify the writer, indicating psychological state at
the time of writing, or evaluating personality characteristics. Graphology has been
controversial for more than a century. Although supporters point to the anecdotal
evidence of positive testimonials as a reason to use it for personality evaluation, most
empirical studies fail to show the validity claimed by its supporters.
6. Sentence Completion Test. It requires the subject complete sentence "stems" with
their own words. The subject's response is considered to be a projection of their
conscious and/or unconscious attitudes, personality characteristics, motivations, and
beliefs.
Clinical Difference between Projective Techniques and Psychometrics
Rather than being regarded and evaluated as psychometric instruments, or tests in the
strict sense of the term, most projective instruments have come to be regarded more as
clinical tools.
Psychometric tests characteristically yield a narrow band of information at a high level of
dependability. In contrast, projective and interviewing techniques provide much wider
range of information of low level of dependability.

Uses of Projective Instruments

In conjunction to diagnostic tests, projective instruments can identify disorders and
personality.
Projective Techniques

It can help establish a relationship between the client and counselor and provide
information about the client that can be useful for treatment planning.
Projective test can be used in marketing, especially in market research.
Advertisements.
Business
Projective tests are used, less frequently, to study learning processes.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Projective Techniques

Advantages Disadvantages
May elicit responses that It needs highly qualified and
subjects would be unwilling or experienced professionals
unable to give if they knew the Scoring projective tests is highly
purpose of the study. subjective, so interpretations of
Helpful when the issues to be answers can vary dramatically
addressed are personal, from one examiner to the next.
sensitive, or subject to strong Answers can be heavily
social norms. influenced by the examiner's
Helpful when underlying attitudes or the test setting.
motivations, beliefs, and Expensive to administer.
attitudes are operating at a Sampling and Generalization.
subconscious level. Projective tests that do not have
The amount, richness, and standard grading scales tend to
accuracy of the information. lack both validity and reliability.
A view of the overall functioning
of individuals.
Breaking the Ice in a focus-
group discussion.