The document discusses Murray's Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) cards and their significance in psychological assessment, highlighting the lack of formal norms and the need to consider variations in responses. It provides a detailed analysis of various TAT cards, including descriptions, common plots, and general discussions regarding the insights they offer into individuals' personalities and relationships. The document emphasizes the importance of recognizing themes such as impulse control, authority, and interpersonal dynamics revealed through the subjects' stories built around the cards.

1. Compiled by Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),
Mtech(IITD),CE(I),FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI
Contact -9007224278, e-mail –muktesh_prasad@yahoo.co.in
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Academy
Decoding TAT 5
Typical Theme Elicited from Murray’s TAT
cards/Pictures
Ref-Handbook of Psychological Assessment Chapter 11 by Groth and Marnat

2. Typical Theme Elicited from Murray’s TAT
cards/Pictures
 No formal normative standards have been developed for the TAT.
 The “norms” that are available are descriptions of the typical themes
that occur for the different cards combined with clinical
experience with these themes.
 Hence awareness of possible significant variations from the more
frequent plots must be accepted.
 Deviations from clichéd or stereotyped responses can be significant as
it may represent important areas of
 Conflict,
 Creative thinking , or
 Important features of the subject’s overall personality.

3. Typical Theme Elicited from Murray’s TAT
cards/Pictures
 These expectations of variation will enable an Assessor to
 (a) Observe more easily specific attitudes toward the central
problem;
 (b)Notice gaps where the inquiry can begin;
 (c)Assess which type of information the subject resists, as
indicated by the use of noncommittal clichés; and
 (d) Notice any deviation from the expected information that may
contain significant and interpretable responses.
 The descriptions and discussion of Murray’s TAT card are divided into
three sections:
 1. Brief description of card.
 2. Plots frequently encountered.
 3. A general discussion of the significance and overall usefulness of
the card.
 The descriptions of each TAT card are from Handbook of
Psychological Assessment by Groth et al

5. Card 1
 1.Description of Card-A boy is sitting at a table looking at a violin placed
on the table in front of him.
 2.Frequent Plots-Typical stories emerging from this card revolve around
 Either a self-motivated boy who is daydreaming about becoming an
outstanding violinist, or
 A rebellious boy being forced by his parents, or some other significant
authority figure, to play the violin.
 3.General Discussion-This is often considered to be the most useful
picture in the entire TAT (Bellak & Abrams, 1997).
 It usually elicits stories describing how the subject deals with the
general issue of impulse versus control, or,
 in a wider sense, the conflict between personal demands and
external controlling agents.
 It also aids in providing information about the client’s relationship with his
or her parents, by making It relatively easy to see whether the parents
are viewed as
 Domineering,
 Controlling,
 In-different,
 Helpful,
 Understanding, or
 Protecting (Bellak & Abrams, 1997).

6. Card 1
 This card frequently gives
 Specific information regarding the need for achievement, and
 How any expressed achievement is accomplished.
 Variation from frequent plot are likely to provide important reflections of
the subject’s characteristic modes of functioning.
 For example,
 The attitude toward, and relationship with, any introduced
figures, or
 Their identification as parents or peers, is given special
attention.
 Also of importance are the way in which the issue of impulse
versus control is handled,
 Any themes of aggression that might emerge, and, particularly,
the specific outcome of the story.

7. Picture 2 : Country scene with a woman holding
a book in the foreground. In the background,
a man is working a field while a woman
watches.

8. Card 2
 1.Description of Card-Country scene with a woman holding a book in the
fore-ground. In the background, a man is working a field while a woman
watches.
 2.Frequent Plots-Stories for this card often involve a young girl who is
leaving the farm to increase her education or to seek opportunities that her
present home environment cannot provide.
 Usually, the family is seen as working hard to gain a living from the soil.
 The family values often center on maintaining the status quo.
 3.General Discussion-This picture usually provides an excellent description
of family relations.
 As with Picture 1, various themes relate to autonomy from the family
versus compliance with the status quo.
 This is one of the only cards in the series that presents the subject with a
group scene and thus gives information relating to how the individual
deals with the challenge of people living together.
 The card it self deals with a younger woman and an older male and
female.
 Thus, it elicits stories dealing with
 Parent-child and
 Heterosexual relationships.
 There is usually the added dimension of contrasting the new and the
old, and demonstrating attitudes toward personal mobility and ambition.

9. Card 2
 This card may elicit stories relating to competition by the younger
daughter for the attention of both or one of the parents.
 In these stories, her rival is either a sibling, particularly an older female,
or the other parent.
 The extent to which separations or alliances occur among the three figures
represented can also be quite revealing. For example,
 The two women may be united against the male who is “merely a hired
hand,” or
 The older male and female may be united against the younger
female(Khap Panchayat).
 Within either of these possible formations, it is important to note the attributes of
 Each person, and the patterns and
 Styles of interaction.
 Because this card is relatively complex and has a large number of details,
compulsive patients often spend an inordinate amount of time
commenting and elaborating on the many small details.
 Typic

10. Picture 3BM : A boy is huddled next to a couch.
On the floor next to him is an ambiguous
object that could be a set of keys or a
revolver.

11. Card 3BM
 1.Description of Card-A boy is huddled next to a couch. On the floor next to
him is an ambiguous object that could be a set of keys or a revolver.
 2.Frequent Plots-The stories usually center on an individual who has been
emotionally involved with another person or who is feeling guilty over some
past behavior he has committed. Drug abusers often perceive the person in
the picture as an addict and interpret the “revolver ” as a hypodermic needle.
 3.General Discussion-his has been identified as one of the most useful
pictures(Bellak & Abrams, 1997; Keiser & Prather, 1990) because it concerns
themes of
 Guilt,
 Depression,
 Aggression, and
 Impulse control.
 The manner in which the object on the left is seen and described often
gives good information regarding problems concerning aggression. For
example, if the object is described as a gun, is it used or intended to be used for
 Intra-aggression (the subject is going to use it to do damage to self ) or for
 Extra-aggression (the subject has used it, or is going to use it, to harm
another person)?
 If it is used for externally directed aggression, what are the
consequences, if any, for the focal figure as portrayed in the outcome?

12. Card 3BM
 This picture is particularly important for depressed patients, whether male or
female, because it can reveal important dynamics regarding the manner in
which the depression developed and how it is currently being maintained.
 For example, denial of aggressive conflict may be represented by complete
revolver looking the gun or rendering it harmless by depicting it as a toy
pistol or a set of keys.
 On the other hand, excessive hesitation and detailed consideration of
what the object might be could represent a compulsive defense
surrounding conflictual aggressive feelings.
 Because this picture contains a lone figure, attitudes toward the isolated
self are often aroused.
 The picture might be particularly useful for drug abusers because it frequently
brings out themes and attitudes toward
 Overdosing,
 Drug use,
 Mechanisms for coping,
 Self-destructive tendencies, and
 Extent of social supports.

13. Picture 3GF : A woman is standing next to an
open door with one hand grabbing the side
of the door and the other holding her
downcast face.

14. Card 3GF
 1.Description of Card-A woman is standing
next to an open door with one hand grabbing
the side of the door and the other holding her
downcast face.
 2.Frequent Plots-As with Picture 3BM, the
stories usually revolve around themes of
interpersonal loss and contemplated harm
directed internally because of guilt over past
behavior.
 3.General Discussion-The same general
trends that hold for Picture 3BM are also true
here, in that both pictures tend to bring out
depressive feelings.
 Frequently , however, Picture 3BM brings out
somewhat richer stories and allows both

15. Picture 4 : A woman is grabbing the shoulders
of a man who is turning away from her.

16. Card 4
 1.Description of Card-A woman is grabbing the shoulders of a man who is
turning away from her.
 2.Frequent Plots-The primary task is to form some conceptualization as to
why the woman is restraining the man. Often, the woman is seen as an
advice-giving moral agent who is struggling with the more impulsive and
irrational man. In approximately half the stories, the vague image of a woman
in the background is brought into the story plot.
 3.General Discussion-This picture typically elicits a good deal of information
relating to the feelings and attitudes surrounding male-female relationships.
 Frequently, themes of infidelity and betrayal emerge, and details regarding
the male attitude toward the role of women may be discussed.
 For example, the woman may be seen as a protector who attempts to
prevent the man from becoming involved in self-destructive behavior, or as a
siren who tries to detain and control him for evil purposes.
 Likewise, a woman’s attitude toward past male aggressiveness and
impulsiveness may be revealed .
 A further area of interest is the vague image of a seminude woman in the
back-ground.
 This often provokes themes of triangular jealousy in which one or more
characters have been betrayed.
 When this picture is described, it is important to note whether the woman is
depicted as a sexually threatening person or is seen as more benign .

17. Picture 5 : A woman is looking into a room from
the threshold of a door.

18. Card 5
 1.Description of Card-A woman is looking into a room from the threshold of
a door.
 2.Frequent Plots-In the most frequent plot, a mother has either caught her
child misbehaving or is surprised by an intruder entering her house.
 3.General Discussion-This picture often reveals information surrounding
attitudes about the subject’s mother in her role of observing and
possibly judging behavior
 It is important to note how the woman is perceived and how the situation is
resolved.
 Is she understanding and sympathetic?
 Does she attempt to invoke guilt? Or,
 Is she seen as severely restricting the child’s autonomy?
 Sometimes, voyeuristic(sexual pleasure gained from watching others when they are
naked or engaged in sexual activity./seeing others in pain ) themes are dis-cussed,
including feelings related to the act of observing others’ misbehavior.
 The examiner notes whether these feelings include guilt, anger,
indifference, or fear,and the manner in which these feelings are resolved.
 Often, this card elicits paranoid fears of attack or intrusion by an outsider,
represented by stories in which the woman is surprised by a burglar.

19. Picture 6BM : An elderly woman is standing
parallel to a window. Behind her is a younger
man with his face down. He is holding onto
his hat.

20. Card 6BM
 1.Description of Card-An elderly woman is standing parallel to a window.
Be-hind her is a younger man with his face down. He is holding onto his hat.
 2.Frequent Plots-This picture typically elicits stories of a son who is either
presenting sad news to his mother, or attempting to prepare her for his
departure to some distant location.
 3.General Discussion-This picture can be important to include when testing
males.
 It usually proves to be a rich source of information regarding attitudes and
feelings toward their mothers or maternal figures in general.
 Because the stories usually revolve around a young man striving for
independence, the specific manner in which the subject depicts this struggle
is important.
 Does the struggle include an exaggerated amount of guilt?
 Is there unexpressed or even overt anger toward the older woman? or
 Does the young man succumb to the woman’s wishes?
 Of equal importance is the mother’s reaction to her son’s behavior.
 To what extent does she control him, and how?
 It is also of interest to note whether the subject accepts the traditional
mother-son version, or
 Whether he or she chooses to avoid discussing this relationship directly.
 If such an avoidance is evident, how are mother-son themes depicted in

21. Picture 6GF : A young woman sitting on the
edge of a sofa looks back over her shoulder
at an older man with a pipe in his mouth who
seems to be addressing her.

22. Card 6GF
 1.Descriptionof Card-A young woman sitting on the edge of a sofa looks backover
her shoulder at an older man with a pipe in his mouth who seems to be address-ing
her.
 2.Frequent Plots.The man is usually seen as proposing some sort of an activityto the
woman, and the plot often includes her reaction to this suggestion.
 3.General Discussion.This card was originally intended to be the female counterpart
to Picture 6BM, and it was hoped that it, too, would elicit attitudes and feelings toward
paternal figures.
 However, because the two figures are often seen as being about equal in age, the
card frequently does not accomplish its intended purpose.
 When clear father -daughter plots are not discussed, the picture reflects the subject’s
style and approach to unstructured heterosexual relationships.
 For example, the subject may describe the woman as being startled or embarrassed
or, on the other hand, may have her respond in a spontaneous and comfortable
manner.
 It is important to note the manner in which the man is perceived by the woman.
 Is he seen as a seducer?
 Does he offer her helpful advice?
 Is he intrusive? Or,
 is he perceived as a welcome addition?
 A person who mistrusts interpersonal relationships typically creates a story in
which the man is intrusive and the woman’s reaction is one of defensiveness and
surprise.
 Subjects who are more trusting and comfortable usually develop themes in which
the woman responds in a more accepting and flexible manner

23. Picture 7BM : An older man is looking at a
younger man, who appears to be peering
into space.

24. Card 7BM
 Desiption of Card-An older man is looking at a younger man, who
appearsto be peering into space.
 2.Frequent Plots-Stories usually describe either a father-son relationship or
a boss-employee situation. Regardless of which of these variations is
chosen, the older man is most frequently in the position of advising or
instructing the younger one.
 3.General Discussion-This card is extremely useful in obtaining information
about authority figures and, more specifically, the subject’s own father.
 The picture deals with hierarchical personal relationships and
 Usually takes the form of an older , more experienced man interacting with a younger,
less experienced one.
 Thus, the card can clearly show how the subject deals with external
demands and attitudes to-ward authority.
 Picture 7GF1.Description of Card.A young girl is seated on a couch and is
holding a doll inher hands. Behind her is an older woman who appears to be
reading to her out of a book.

25. Picture 7GF : A young girl is seated on a couch
and is holding a doll in her hands. Behind
her is an older woman who appears to be
reading to her out of a book.

26. Card 7GF
 1.Description of Card.A young girl is seated on a couch and is holding a doll
in her hands. Behind her is an older woman who appears to be reading to
her out of a book.
 2.Frequent Plots-This picture is usually perceived as a mother and her
daughter , with the mother advising, consoling, scolding, or instructing the
child. Less frequently , there are themes in which the mother is reading to the
child for pleasure or entertainment.
 3.General Discussion-The intention here is to bring out the style and
manner of mother-child interaction.
 When older women are the subjects, the picture often elicits feelings and
attitudes toward children.
 Because both figures are looking away, either figure is sometimes perceived
as rejecting the other.
 Thus, the card often elicits negative feelings and interactions, and it is
important to note how these feelings are resolved, expressed, or avoided.
 Sometimes the older woman is described as reading a fairy story to the
younger girl. Often, the most instructive data then comes from the fairy story
itself .

27. Picture 8BM : A young boy in the foreground is
staring directly out of the picture. In the
background is a hazy image of two men
performing surgery on a patient who is lying
down.

28. Card 8BM
 1.Description of Card-A young boy in the foreground is staring directly out
of the picture. In the background is a hazy image of two men performing
surgery on a patient who is lying down.
 2.Frequent Plots- Stories revolve around either ambition (the young man
may have aspirations toward becoming a doctor) or aggression.
 Frequently, the aggressive stories relate to fears of becoming harmed or
mutilated while in a passive state.
 An-other somewhat less frequent theme describes a scene in which
someone was shot and is now being operated on.
 3.General Discussion- The picture can be seen as a thinly veiled depiction
of a young man’s oedipal conflicts, with concomitant feelings of
castration anxiety and hostility.
 Feelings the boy or other characters toward the older man performing the
surgery must be noted.
 If the story depicts a need for achievement younger man will identify with the
older one and perhaps use him as an example. In this case, the details of
process of identification and specific feelings regarding the identification

29. Picture 8GF : A woman is sitting on a chair
staring into space with her chin resting in her
hand.

30. Card 8GF
 1.Description of Card-A woman is sitting on a chair staring into space with
herchin resting in her hand.
 2.Frequent Plots-Because this picture is vague and nonspecific, extremely
diverse plots are developed and there are no frequently encountered themes.
 3.General Discussion-This picture is difficult to generalize about.
 Typically, it produces somewhat shallow stories of a contemplative nature

31. Picture 9BM : Four men in a field are lying
against one another.

32. Card 9BM
 1.Description of Card-Four men in a field are lying
against one another.
 2.Frequent Plots-Stories typically provide some
explanation of why the men are there and frequently
describe them either as homeless wanderers or as working
men who are taking a much-needed rest or a group of
soldiers relaxing.
 3.General Discussion-This picture is particularly helpful in
providing information about relations with members of the
same sex.
 Are the men comfortable with one another?
 Is there any competitiveness?
 Is the central person in the story merely observing the
four men, or is he one of the four men in the picture?
 Sometimes, homosexual tendencies or fears regarding
such tendencies become evident in the story plot.
 Social prejudice surrounding attitudes toward “lazy,” lower

33. Picture 9GF : A woman in the foreground is
standing behind a tree, observing another
woman who is running along a beach below.

34. Card 9GF
 1.Description of Card-A woman in the foreground is standing behind a tree,
ob-serving another woman who is running along a beach below.
 2.Frequent Plots-Usually, the two women are seen as being in some sort of
conflict, often over a man.
 Frequently, either in addition to this theme or in a separate story , the woman
“ hiding behind” the tree has done something wrong.
 It is very unusual to have a story in which cooperation between the women is
the central plot.
 3.General Discussion-This card basically deals with female peer relations
and is important in elaborating on issues such as conflict resolution,
jealousy, sibling rivalry , and competitiveness.
 Because the figure standing behind the tree is carefully observing the
woman on the beach, stories may provide details surrounding paranoid
ideation.
 At the very least, the dynamics of suspiciousness and distrust are
usually discussed.
 Frequently, a man is introduced into the story, often in the role of a long
lost lover whom one or both of the women are running to meet, or a sexual
attacker, from whom the woman on the beach is attempting to escape .

35. Picture 10 : One person is holding his or her
head against another person’s shoulder. The
gender of the two persons is not defined.

36. Card 10
 1.Description of Card-One person is holding his or her
head against another per-son’s shoulder. The gender of
the two persons is not defined.
 2.Frequent Plots-Stories usually center around some
interaction between a male and a female, and may involve
either a greeting between the two or a departure.
 3.General Discussion-This card often gives useful
information regarding how the subject perceives male-
female relationships, particularly those involving some
degree of closeness and intimacy.
 It might be helpful to notice the relative degree of comfort
or discomfort evoked by emotional closeness.
 A story of departure or of termination of the relationship
may be reflective of either overt or denied hostility on the
part of the subject.
 Sometimes, males interpret the embrace as involving two
males, which may suggest the possibility of a repressed or

37. Picture 11 : On a road in a chasm, several
figures are proceeding along a path toward a
bridge. Above them and against the side of a
cliff appears to be a dragon.

38. Card 11
 1.Description of Card-On a road in a chasm, several figures are proceeding
along a path toward a bridge. Above them and against the side of a cliff
appears to be a dragon.
 2.Frequent Plot-Typically, stories of attack and escape are elicited in
which the subject takes into account the dragon, the path, and the obscure
figures in the distance.
 3.General Discussion-Because the form of this picture is quite vague and
ambiguous, it is a good test of the subjects’ imaginative abilities and their
skills in integrating irregular and poorly defined stimuli.
 The picture also represents unknown and threatening forces, and reflects
the manner in which the subjects deal with fear of attack.
 Characters in the story either escape or become victims of their attackers.
 If they escape, how effective and coherent was the plan they devised to
avoid danger?
 Were they instead saved by chance or “ the forces of fate”?
 Subjects’ stories can often suggest the degree to which they experience
a sense of control over their environment and the course of their lives .
 The dragon may be seen as coming out of the cliff and attacking people
(representing aggressive forces in the environment), or as a protecting
creature whom the characters are using for refuge and safety (a need for
protection).

39. Picture 12M : A man with his hand raised is
standing above a boy who is lying on a bed
with his eyes closed.

40. Card 12M
 1.Description of Card-A man with his hand raised is standing above a boy
who is lying on a bed with his eyes closed.
 2.Frequent Plots-Stories center on illness and/or the older man’s use of
hypnosis or some form of religious rite on the younger, reclining figure.
 3.General Discussion-The picture often elicits themes regarding the
relation-ship between an older (usually more authoritative) man and a
younger one.
 The manner in which the older man is perceived is particularly
important.
 Is he sympathetic and giving aid, or is he described in more sinister terms?
 Thus, the picture can represent specifics of the transference relationship
and, as such, can be an aid in interpreting and providing feedback to the
client regarding this relationship.
 It can also be used to predict a client’s attitude toward, and response to,
hypnotic procedures.
 Stories related to this picture may also represent whether passivity is
compatible with a subject’s personality or is regarded with discomfort.
 In particular, subjects frequently reveal attitudes toward some external
controlling force .

41. Picture 12F : A portrait of a woman is in the
foreground; an older woman holding her chin
is in the background.

42. Card 12F
 1.Description of Card-A portrait of a woman is
in the foreground; an older woman holding her
chin is in the background.
 2.Frequent Plots-Stories center on the
relationship or specific communications
between the two figures.
 3.General Discussion-This picture elicits
descriptions and conceptions of mother figures.
 The background figure is frequently seen as a
mother-in-law who has a variety of evil qualities.
 Often, these negative qualities are feelings that
the subject has toward her own mother but can
indirectly, and, therefore, more safely, project
onto the figure of a mother-in-law.

43. Picture 12BG : A country setting depicts a tree,
with a rowboat pulled up next to it. No
human figures are present.

44. Card 12BG
 1.Description of Card-A country setting depicts
a tree, with a rowboat pulled up next to it. No
human figures are present.
 2.Frequent Plots-Stories frequently center on
themes of loneliness, peace, or enjoyment of
nature.
 3.General Discussion-With suicidal or
depressed subjects, there may be an
elaboration of feelings of abandonment and
isolation—
for example, someone has been lost or has
fallen from the boat.
 More stable, adjusted subjects are likely to
discuss the peace of being alone in the woods

45. Picture 13MF : A young man is standing in the
foreground with his head in his arms. In the
background is a woman lying in a bed.

46. Card 13MF
 1.Description of Card-A young man is standing in the foreground with his
head in his arms. In the background is a woman lying in a bed.
 2.Frequent Plots-The most frequent plot centers on guilt induced by illicit
sexual activity.
 Themes involving the death of the woman on the bed and the resulting
grief of the man, who is often depicted as her husband, are somewhat
less frequent.
 3.General Discussion-This picture is often considered to be helpful in
revealing sexual conflicts.
 In a general way, it provides information on a subject’s attitudes and
feelings toward his or her partner, particularly attitudes just before and
immediately following sexual intercourse.
 Stories in which there are overt expressions of aggression or revulsion are
significant variations and should be noted as relatively unusual.
 In particular, the relation between a subject’s aggressive and sexual
feelings is frequently portrayed .
 Because this picture has a relatively large number of details, obsessive-
compulsive personalities frequently spend an excessive amount of time
describing and explaining these details.
 If it has a shock effect then anxiety is created.
 The obsessive-compulsive’s style of handling anxiety by externally focusing

47. Picture 13B : A boy is sitting in the doorway of a
log cabin.

48. Card 13B
 Description of Card-A boy is sitting in the
doorway of a log cabin.
 2.Frequent Plots-Themes of loneliness and
stories of childhood are often elicited.
 However, because the stimulus is somewhat
vague, the content and the nature of these
stories tend to be extremely varied.
 3.General Discussion-This picture may help
both adults and children to reveal attitudes
toward introspection or loneliness.
 In adults, it frequently elicits reveries involving
childhood memories.

49. Picture 13G : A girl is climbing a flight of stairs.

50. Card 13G
 1.Description of Card-A girl is climbing a f light of
stairs.
 2.Frequent Plots.
 The plots are similar to Picture 13B, usually involving
themes of loneliness and/or distant childhood
memories.

51. Picture 14 : A person is silhouetted against a
window.

52. Picture 14
 1. Description of Card- A person is silhouetted against a window.
 2. Frequent Plots-This card produces themes of
 Contemplation,
 Wish fulfillment, or
 Depression, or
 Feelings related to burglary.
 3. General Discussion- If a subject’s presenting problem is
depression, especially if there is evidence of suicidal ideation, this
card, along with Picture 3BM, is essential.
 This type of subject often describes the figure in the picture and, more
importantly , discusses the events, feelings, and attitudes that led up to
the current self-destructive behavior.
 Methods and styles of problem solving that the story character has
attempted or is attempting may be assessed.

53. Picture 14…
 Also significant are the character’s internal dialogues and personal
reactions as he or she relates to different life stresses.
 This picture may also reveal the subject’s aesthetic interests and
personal philosophical beliefs or wish fulfillments.
 If a story involving burglary is depicted, it can be useful to consider the
character’s level of impulse control and guilt, or the consequences of
his or her behavior.
 For example, is the character apprehended and punished for his or her
behavior, or is he or she allowed to go free and enjoy the profits of his or
her misdeeds?

54. Picture 15 : A man is standing among
tombstones with his hands clasped together.

55. Picture 15
 1. Description of Card- A man is standing among tombstones with his
hands clasped together.
 2. Frequent Plots- Themes usually revolve around beliefs or events
surrounding death and a hereafter.
 3. General Discussion- Stories from Picture 15 reflect the subject’s
particular beliefs about, and attitudes toward, death and the dying
process.
 For example, death may be viewed as a passive, quiet process, or, in
contrast, it can be experienced as a violent , aggressive situation.
 If the subject is having an extremely difficult time coping with the death of a
friend or relative, the themes on Picture 15 can provide useful information
as to why this difficulty is being experienced.
 For example, the story may reveal a method of adjustment based on
excessive denial and a seeming inability to engage in grieving, from
which a lack of resolution results.
 The story might also indicate unexpressed and problematic anger
directed toward the dead person, because of a sense of abandonment.

56. Picture 16 : Blank card.

57. Picture 16
 1. Description of Card- Blank card.
 2. Frequent Plots- Stories from this card are highly varied. It frequently
elicits narratives related to a person’s life (current marital, family, and
personal situation) and, to a lesser extent, idyllic, defensive, catastrophic,
and achievement-oriented concerns.
 3. General Discussion- Instructions for this card are: Imagine a picture
and then tell a story about it.
 From subjects with vivid and active imaginations, this card often elicits
extremely rich, useful stories; and the amount of detail and complexity
in a person’s stories have been found to correlate with different
measures of creativity (Wakefield,1986).
 The card does little to shape or influence the subject’s fantasy material and
can thus be seen as a relatively pure product of his or her
unconscious.
 However , for anxious, resistant, or noncreative subjects, this card is
often of little or no value because the stories are usually brief and lack
depth or richness.
 In considering the story , it is helpful to note whether the depiction
involves a scene that is vital and optimistic , or one that is desolate

58. Picture 17BM : A naked man is climbing up (or
down) a rope.

59. Picture 17BM
 1. Description of Card- A naked man is climbing up (or down) a rope.
 2. Frequent Plots- Stories usually involve someone escaping from a
dangerous situation or an athletic event of a competitive nature.
 3. General Discussion- Because the card depicts a naked man,
attitudes regarding the subject’s personal body images are often revealed.
 They in turn may bring out themes of
 Achievement,
 Physical prowess,
 Adulation, and
 Narcissism.
 Possible homosexual feelings or anxiety related to homosexuality also
becomes evident in the stories of some subjects.

60. Picture 17GF : A female is standing on a bridge
over water. Above the bridge is a tall
building, and behind the building the sun is
shining from behind clouds.

61. Picture 17GF
 1. Description of Card- A female is standing on a bridge over water.
Above the bridge is a tall building, and behind the building the sun is
shining from behind clouds.
 2. Frequent Plots- A great variety of stories are elicited, although
themes surrounding departure and social or emotional distance do occur
with some frequency.
 3. General Discussion- Attitudes toward a recent separation or the
impending arrival of a loved one are sometimes described.
 This card can be particularly useful in cases of suicidal depression,
where the figure on the bridge is perceived as contemplating jumping off, as
a last attempt to resolve her difficulties.
 As with Pictures 3BM and 14, an inquiry into the specific difficulties the story
character has encountered and the manner in which she has attempted to
resolve these difficulties can often reflect the subject’s manner and style of
coping with his or her own difficulties.
 Personal reactions to, and internal dialogue involving, life stresses
can also be extremely informative.
 However, some of this material is available only through reading other

62. Picture 18BM : A man dressed in a long coat is
being grabbed from behind. Three hands are
visible.

63. Picture 18BM
 1. Description of Card- A man dressed in a long coat is being grabbed
from behind. Three hands are visible.
 2. Frequent Plots- Typical themes involve either drunkenness on the
part of the figure who is being supported by the three hands, or stories in
which he is being attacked from behind.
 3. General Discussion- This picture, more than any of the others, is
likely to produce anxiety because of the suggestive depiction of invisible
forces attacking the figure.
 Thus, it is important to note how the subject handles his or her own
anxiety, as well as how the story character deals with his situation.
 Does the latter see himself as the victim of circumstance in which he is
completely helpless?
 If so, how does he eventually resolve his feelings of helplessness?
 Is the helplessness a momentary phenomenon , or is it an ongoing
personality trait?
 If the character is seen as the recipient of hard luck, then specifically what
situation does the subject perceive as comprising hard luck?

64. Picture 18GF : A woman has her hands around
the throat of another woman. In the
background is a flight of stairs.

65. Picture 18GF
 1. Description of Card- A woman has her hands around the throat of
another woman. In the background is a flight of stairs.
 2. Frequent Plots- Aggressive mother-daughter interactions or sibling
relationships are often disclosed in response to this picture.
 3. General Discussion- The manner in which the subject handles
aggressive, hostile relationships with other women is the primary type of
information this picture elicits.
 Particular note should be made of what types of events trigger this
aggressiveness, and of the manner in which the conflict is or is not
resolved.
 Does the character submit passively, withdraw from the relationship,
plot revenge, or negotiate change?
 Feelings of inferiority, jealousy, and response to being dominated are
also often described.
 Although the representation of aggressiveness in the picture is quite explicit
, subjects occasionally attempt to deny or avoid this aggressiveness by
creating a story in which one figure is attempting to help the other one up
the stairs.

66. Picture 19 : A surreal depiction of clouds and a
home covered with snow.

67. Picture 19
 1. Description of Card- A surreal depiction of clouds and a home
covered with snow.
 2. Frequent Plots- Stories are highly varied because of the
unstructured and ambiguous nature of the stimuli.
 3. General Discussion- Because this is one of the more unstructured
cards, the subject’s ability to integrate disparate visual stimuli is tested.
 For certain subjects, the ambiguous nature of this picture can create
anxiety and insecurity.
 The examiner can then observe how the subject handles his or her
anxiety in the context of the story.
 Often, the stories produced deal with impersonal aggression from
forces such as nature or the supernatural.
 Picture 20

68. Picture 20 : A hazy, nighttime picture of a man
leaning against a lamppost.

69. Picture 20
 1. Description of Card- A hazy, nighttime picture of a man leaning
against a lamppost.
 2. Frequent Plots- Stories range from the benign theme of a late
evening date to more sinister circumstances, perhaps involving a gangster
who is in imminent danger.
 3. General Discussion- The picture often elicits information regarding
a subject’s attitude toward loneliness, darkness, and uncertainty.
 Fears may be stated explicitly through gangster stories.
 As with Picture 18BM, the method of handling these fears and the
examinee’s response to physical danger should be noted.