TAT RESEARCH

The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is a projective test of personality developed by Christiana D. Morgan (no relation to the author) and Henry A. Murray in the 1930s at the Harvard Psychological Clinic. More information about the origin of the test and its authors can be found in the biographies of Morgan and Murray.

My research on the TAT has been concerned with the history, origin and development of the TAT images and technique. To date this research has produced several published papers and book chapters and a number of other paper and poster presentations (see references below). Papers in preparation include material on the TAT-II (a less known and quite different set of pictures) and later cross-cultural and military adaptations of the TAT.

Most of the TAT images were created for reasons other than for use in projective testing. Often the artist was attempting to communicate a thought or feeling to the observer. To the extent that this purpose is known it likely will be an aid to interpretation. As examples of this work, illustrated material concerning the origins and history of Card 1, Card 13-B, and Card 19 from the 1943/1971 edition of the test are presented. Historical material concerning one of the earliest pictures (Picture C) is also presented.

REFERENCES

          Morgan, W. G. (1991, March). The art of testing: The history and development of the TAT images. A paper presented at the 37th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA.

          Morgan, W. G. (1995a). Origin and history of the Thematic Apperception Test images. Journal of Personality Assessment, 65, 237-254.

          Morgan, W. G. (1995b, March). The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) paintings. A paper presented at the 1995 Midwinter Program of the Society for Personality Assessment, Atlanta, GA.

          Morgan, W. G. (1995c, March). Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) images with photographic origins. A paper presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Savannah, GA.

          Morgan, W. G. (1996, August). The art of the TAT: The history of TAT images originating as prints. A paper presented at the 104th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ont., Canada.

          Jahnke, J., & Morgan, W. G. (1997). A true TAT story (pp. 376-379). In W. G. Bringmann, H. E. Lück, R. Miller & C. E. Early (Eds.), A pictorial history of psychology. Carol Stream, IL: Quintessence Publishing.

          Morgan, W. G. (1998, February). Early versions of the TAT: History and correspondence of images. A paper presented at the Midwinter Meeting of the Society for Personality Assessment, Boston, MA.

          Morgan, W. G. (1998). TAT zuban no kigento rekishi. [Origin and history of the Thematic Apperception Test images.] (F. Saito and H. Urata, Trans.). The Faculty of Humanics Review, 6, 29-51.

          Morgan, W. G. (1999a). Test developer profile: Christiana D. Morgan. In R. J. Cohen & M. E. Swerdlik, Psychological testing and assessment: An introduction to tests and measurement (4th ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co.
(Also at http://www.mayfieldpub.com/psychtesting/profiles/morgan.htm)

          Morgan, W. G. (1999b, March). Picture C: Its origin and development. A paper presented at the 1999 Midwinter Meeting of the Society for Personality Assessment, New Orleans, LA.

          Morgan, W. G. (1999c). The 1943 TAT images: Their origin and history (pp. 65-83). In M. T. Gieser & M. I. Stein (Eds.), Evocative images: The Thematic Apperception Test and the art of projection. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

          Gieser, M. T., & Morgan, W. G. (1999d). Look homeward Harry: Literary influence on the development of the Thematic Apperception Test (pp. 53-64). In M. T. Gieser & M. I. Stein (Eds.), Evocative images: The Thematic Apperception Test and the art of projection. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

          Morgan, W. G. (1999e, August). New findings about some old TAT pictures. A paper presented at the 107th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.

          Morgan, W. G. (2000). Origin and history of an early TAT card: Picture C. Journal of Personality Assessment, 74, 88-94.

          Morgan, W. G. (2001). New findings concerning two early TAT pictures (pp. 243-247). In M. I. Stein (Ed.). Creativity's Global Correspondents--2001. New York: Winslow Press.

          Morgan, W. G. (2002). Origin and history of the earliest Thematic Apperception Test Pictures. Journal of Personality Assessment, 79, 422-445.

          Morgan, W. G. (2003, March). Origin and history of some very early TAT pictures. A paper presented at the 2003 Midwinter Meeting of the Society for Personality Assessment, San Francisco, CA.

          Morgan, W. G. (2003). Origin and history of the "Series B" and "Series C" TAT pictures. Journal of Personality Assessment, 81, 133-148.

          Morgan, W. G. (2004, March). Gone but not forgotten: The origin and history of the TAT-II pictures. A paper presented at the 2004 Midwinter Meeting of the Society for Personality Assessment, Miami, FL.

Last revised: 1 June 2004