An Eye Movement Research On Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

After its appearance in 1936, the Thematic Apperception Test ( TAT) has always been one of the most favorite projective tests. However, the interpretation system of TAT has long been the target of criticism because of it's subjective. In this research, the subject's eye movement characteristic was recorded along with the traditional process of TAT execution. It attempts to find the general principle of eye movement characteristic appearing along with the TAT procedure, to validate the hypothesis of TAT interpretation that people will identify themselves to the similar figure in the picture, and also hopes to find the difference in eye movement characteristics of different type of subject. The researcher wants to give some valid proofs to the interpretation of the TATAs it shows in result, the general principle of eye movement characteristics is as follows: (1) During the process of TAT execution, the major area of subjects attention lies on the figure in the picture, and their facial expressions are the most important area for information acquiring. (2) There is no obvious influence of age and gender on eye movement characteristics in the execution process. However, women's average saccade amplitude is bigger than man. (3) Words in the stories told by senior subjects are less than the ones told by young subjects, and the senior ones need more enquiries than the young's to complete their story.The eye movement characteristics as response to the main character are as follows: (1) In TAT pictures with two figures, the subjects intend to pay more attention to the figure with the similar age and the same gender with him/her. (2) The identification on the main character phenomenon is very complicated which can be different when the picture, the age and gender of the subject changed.The difference of eye movement characteristics between subjects of different personality types are as follows: (1) the personality difference will affect the eye movement characteristics of picture observing, and the influence of Sensing and Intuition dimension is prominent. The average fixation per second of Sensing subjects are fewer than their Intuition coordinators. (2) Other relationships between eye movement and personality dimensions haven't been found in this research.