Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of projective test?

Answer 1

Make sure to include the concepts of validity and reliability in your answer. As part of the ability tests, which measure what we have learned and our ability to learn new things, Projective tests are used to deduce a person's feelings, needs and motive on the basis of a person's interpretation of ambiguous stimuli, which consists of pictures, patterns and stories. The commonly used projective tests are the "Roschach Inkblot Test" in which the test taker must describe what he or she thinks the image is. Another test is the "Thematic Apperception Test" In which the test taker must make up stories interpreting a series of 20 ambiguous scenes.

Projective tests allow many psychologists to assess unconscious aspects of personality, a great advantage of projective testing is that since the subject doesn't know how can his or her response will be interpreted dues to the fact that there is no grading scale to go by, the subject is not easily led to lie or fake his or her personality traits. On the downside the responder's attitude can easily be influenced by the test setting, also since there is no grading scale the test results tend to lack validity and reliability, since the results may vary by examiners.