The Thematic Perception Test is a projective personality test consisting of 30 pictures and 1 blank card. The test aims to explore the underlying dynamics of personality such as conflicts, dominant drives, interests and motives. Clients are asked to write a story with a beginning, middle and end about the pictures they see. While the clients are creating a story, questions such as "what is happening now?", "what are the characters in the picture thinking and feeling?", "how did things get to this point?", "what is the outcome?" can be asked by the therapist. Afterwards, the stories are interpreted by the therapist in the same way and some findings are reached. The T.A.T. is used with children, adolescents and adults and is considered to be the best test of interpersonal relationship dynamics.
Specific motivations in the T.A.T test include achievement, displays of sincerity and problem-solving skills. T.A.T allows us to investigate dreams, fantasies, mate choices, and people's motives in choosing a profession more clearly. The T.A.T. test is used to help people understand their own characteristics so that they can make important life decisions accordingly. Its administration and interpretation requires specialized training.
The TAT can be used by therapists in several different ways. Some of these are as follows:
- To learn more about the person. The test allows the client to reflect on their inner world and provides information about their emotional conflicts.
- To help individuals express their emotions. TAT cards are used as a therapeutic tool, allowing clients to express their emotions in a non-direct way. It provides an understanding of emotions that cannot be expressed directly.
- To explore themes related to one's life experiences. For clients suffering from issues such as job loss, divorce or health problems, it provides an opportunity for deeper exploration during the therapy by interpreting ambiguous scenes in a unique way.
- To assess the individual in terms of psychological state. The test is sometimes used as a tool to assess personality or thought disorders.
- To identify suitable candidates for a job. It is sometimes used to determine whether people are suited to certain roles, for example, coping with stress or being suitable for positions such as military, leadership and law enforcement positions.