“It’s all about perspective.” No two brains work the exact same way; they can work similarly, but not the same. That’s why we see completely different things or focus on different things when we look at the same image or watch the same TikTok.

But it’s not just about perspective, though; it’s also about personality. The way your brain interprets shapes, colors, and hidden patterns can reveal so many things about who you are. That’s why psychologists use projective tests to uncover how your personality affects your perspective.

The Thematic Apperception Test and the Rorschach Inkblot Test are the most commonly used projective tests. They help evoke responses to reveal a side of an individual’s personality. Psychologists often do this by projecting behavioral patterns, traits, and internal attitudes on external stimuli.

While both tests uncover emotions, unconscious thoughts, and personality traits, their approach is very different. Let’s how their differences, use cases, as well as their pros and cons.

What Is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)?

The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is popularly known as the Picture Interpretation Technique. It is a projective personality test that uses scenarios to determine what drives people, their emotions, and personality.

TAT uses picture cards that depict vague characters such as men, women, children, circumstances, and scenes. Respondents look at it and note down what they think is happening in each picture. When conducting TAT, you ask questions like: 

• What has caused the event shown in the image?
• What is happening in the picture?
• What are the thoughts and feelings of the characters in the picture?
• Can you tell the outcome of the story?

TAT is projective because it enables people to project their feelings onto the test. The objective of this approach is to intentionally present vague characters and then ask subjects to interpret what is taking place in the scene. It is assumed that it will allow the person to reveal his motivations, unconscious thoughts, and conflicts that he is projecting.

Apart from being a clinical tool, the Thematic Apperception Test is commonly used by psychologists to reveal unconscious thoughts, personalities, and motivations, which is valuable in research and professional settings. Other uses of TAT include:

• Learning about an individual
• Helping people to express their feelings
• Exploring themes that are related to an individual’s life experiences 
• Assessing people’s psychological conditions
• Evaluations of crime suspects
• Screening job candidates
  

What Is the Rorschach Inkblot Test?

The Rorschach Inkblot Test is a projective type of test where subjects are allowed to look at 10 vague, symmetrical inkblot pictures and are asked to give a description of what they see in each image. The therapists, in turn, interpret the subject’s answers.

The Rorschach Inkblot test is used in counseling and psychotherapy; however, it is not used as frequently as it was in the past. The goal of this test is to gain valuable information about subjects, including their thought patterns, motivations, emotions, and personalities.

Also, the Rorschach test has been a significant help in the area of helping people suffering from schizophrenia. Additionally, organizations use the Rorschach Inkblot to evaluate people’s intelligence, creativity, temperament, and more. The results of this test often help them decide to determine if such a person is fit for employment in their organizations or not.

Key Differences Between TAT and Rorschach

Format: Stories vs. Inkblots

The Thematic Apperception Test was initially developed by Christiana D.Morgan and Henry A.Murray in 1930 at Harvard University. They used lots of provocative images to explore their subjects’ dynamics to make them give meaningful verbal responses.

The Rorschach Inkblot Test was developed by a Swiss psychiatrist, Hermann Rorschach, who was inspired by his favorite game as a child and his rigorous study of Sigmund Freud’s Dream Symbolism. The name of that game was Klecksography, which involves making inkblots and making up stories or something poetic about them. Hermann enjoyed the game so much that he was nicknamed “Klecks”- A German word that means inkblot.

Years later, Hermann worked in a psychiatric hospital where he discovered that patients with schizophrenia could respond to the blots differently from patients with other diagnoses. It was then that he started wondering if inkblots could be used to create profiles for various mental disorders.

Administration Style: Structured vs. Free-Form

The Thematic Apperception Test is administered by showing respondents a series of black and white picture cards and asking them to tell a story for each card they see. The therapist uses between 8 – 12 cards in a session while following these steps:

• Present the picture cards to the subject
• Instructing the subject to tell a story for each card
• Write down each response of the subject to the card verbatim

The Rorschach Inkblot test has 10 official inkblots. Each of them is printed on a separate white card. There are five inkblots, which are black and gray; two are black, gray, and red, while three are multicolored without any black. 

Note that the examiner sits next to the subject during the administration of the test. This will enable the examiner to see what the subjects see. The examiner will follow these steps:

• Present the card to the subject
• The subject is allowed to respond to vague images 
• Record the subject’s response
• Confirm the response by asking the subjects to identify what they have seen.

Scoring Methods: Subjective vs. Standardized Systems

The Thematic Apperception Test is often criticized for having no formal scoring system, as practitioners simply rely on their subjective interpretation and clinical opinions. 

While the Rorschach Inkblot Test scoring system depends on the following factors:

• Content such as human, human details, animal details, gender, and nature
• Identification of the person’s location response 
• Determinant coding, such as color, form, movement, shading, pairs, and reflection
  

Use in Clinical vs. Research Settings

The Thematic Apperception Test is widely used for clinical and research purposes. While the Rorschach Inkblot Test is not widely used by researchers for clinical purposes, and used more by organizations to determine applicants personality, it is recommended as a great tool in diagnosing schizophrenia.

Pros and Cons of Each Test

Are These Tests Still Relevant in 2025?

Yes, these tests are still relevant today. Here are some of the most common use cases for them:

• Current Use in Psychological Practice: Both tests are used in clinical and psychological practices. However, the Rorschach Inkblot Test cannot be used as a tool in diagnosing other severe mental health disorders, as practitioners have asserted that it is not reliable in doing so.

• Use Cases in Education, Counseling, and Career Testing: The Rorschach Inkblot Test can help evaluate pupils’ academic performance and the factors behind it. The Thematic Apperception Test is also very valuable in counseling sessions as it can help the subjects project their unconscious thoughts, emotions, and more on external stimuli. The Rorschach Inkblot Test is very helpful in career testing as it can help employers know if they are suitable for the job.

• Why They Still Matter (or Not) in the Digital Age: People often ask whether the Thematic Apperception and the Rorschach Inkblot Tests are still relevant today. The answer is yes, they are still commonly used by researchers, practitioners, and organizations.

Getting Started with TAT and Inkblot Tests

The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) and the Rorschach Inkblot Test are powerful tools for understanding personality, emotions, and cognitive patterns. Whether you’re a therapist, employer, or educator, you can use these tests in mental health, employment screening, and academic evaluations to understand emotions and behaviors (TAT), and assess job candidates or diagnose mental health conditions (Rorschach).

Create and Administer Tests Easily with Formplus

Here’s how you can create yours with Formplus:

• Create an account with Formplus for free
• Go to your dashboard and select Create New Form.
• Edit your form to fit the test you want respondents to take by uploading images (TAT picture cards or Rorschach inkblots).
• Add dynamic answer fields so respondents can fully express themselves. So you can add long text, audio, and video.
• Customize the form’s look by changing its color, font, and theme (optional).
• Preview the form to be sure it looks exactly how you want it across devices (desktop, tablet, and mobile).
• Configure the settings by adding an autoresponse and notifications for submissions.
• Share the test with participants via your preferred communication channel—email, direct link, QR code, or embed it on your webpage.
• Collect and monitor responses with your responses and analytics dashboard.

Get started with Formplus to create your test for free!