T H E H-T-P T E S T

J O H N N . BUCK
State Colony
Ly11r11I~i~r.q

1 STRODUCTIOK tliuni of expression is a relatively prinii-

tive one, drawing. The second phase is
The 13-3.-1' ( freehand drawing of vertml, apperceptive, and niore formally
House, Tree. and l'erson) is a technique structured: in it the subject is provided
designed to aid the clinician in obtaining with an opportunity to define, describe,
infomiation concerning the sensitivity, ant1 interpret the objects drawn and their
maturity, and integration of a subject's respective environments and to associate
personality, and the interaction of that concerning them.
Dersonalitv with its environment (both
specific and general). The H-T-P'is a ~IATERIALS
two-phased approach to the personality.
The first phase is non-verbal, creative. al- The materials for the H-T-I' are : (1)
most completely unstructured : the me- a four-page scoring folder ; (2) a post-
No. -0ut-Pt.-
t i - *r- 1
.\'umc; -Mr. K. N.- Diite: -1 August 1946-
.j'c.r: -.Hale Racr: .-White___ Rirfhdatc:-11 M a y 1920
Grade or
.5'rliod: -___High School Class: - G r a d u a t e d
: --Virginia
Krsideiir~, . Orcrcpation:-- Insurance Salesman ___
QU.4.VTITATIl'I:' .SCORl.VG
I~oIlsL- 7rre Pcrsoir
1)e tails : Details: Details :
100 ( 4 ) . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 201 ( 1 ) . . . . . . . . . . .s1 300 I1 ( b ) . . . . . . . .A3
101 (1). . . . . . . . . . .. s 1 ML(1) . . . . . . . . . . .s1
102 (1). . . . . . . . . . . . D2 203 ( 4 ) . . . . . . . . . . .A3
lo6 ( 2 ) . . . . . . . . . . . .s1 -B4 (3) . . . . . . . . . . .A2 305 (2) ........... A2
3% (3) . . . . . .A1
307 (4) ..... .A1
308 (2) ..... .A1
111 (2). . . . . . . . . . ..s2 Proportion : 311 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . A3
112 (1) . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 W- I1 . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 312 (1) . . . . . . . . . . .A3
113 ( Z ) . . ..........A2 210 I . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 315 (4) A1
211 I (a) . . . . . . . . .A2 316 (4) A3
115 (1). . . . . . . . . . . .s2 212 (3) . . . . . . . . . .A1 317 (1) . . . . . . . . . . .S1
116 (1). . . . . . . . . . . . S 1
Prrsprctivr : Proportion:
Profwrfion: 215 (2) . . . . . . . . . .A2 318 (2) ......... .A1
119 I1 (b) . . . . . . . . .A2 216 \I (c) . . . . . . . .A3 319 (3) . . . . . . . . . . A2
* In the Post-Drawing In- 323 rr ( b ) . . . . . . . . ~ i
Perspective: terrogation session the subject 323 I11 (c) ...... .A2
131 I . . . . . . . . .D1 said that the Tree was dead. 323 IV (d) . . . . . . .A3
Perspective:
Quantitative .Ycore:
D ........... 7
Raw: A ...........30
S ............I3
Weighted
Score : Flaw
z.
-
11
324 (4) . . . . . . . . . .A3
326 (I-d) .........S1
329 I1 ( c ) . . . . . . . .A3
330 (2) ......... .A3
Percentage Raw G : 333 (1) ..... .D1, D1
86-IQ 107
FIG.1. Quantitative Scoring Blank for illustration case, Mr. K. N.
152 J O H N N. BUCK

drawing interrogation form ; (3) a four- P O S T - D R A W I N G INTERROGATION

page form sheet of white paper--each P 1. Is that a man or a woman (or boy or
page 7 x 8% inches in size-with the girl) ?
word Hozrse printed at the top of the sec- P 2.. How old is he?
ond page ;the word Tree at the top of the P 3. Who is he?
third page; Person at the top of the P 4. Is he a relation, a friend, or what?
P 5. Whom were you thinking about while
fourth; (4) several lead pencils (Grade you were drawing?
No. 2) with erasers; (5) the tentative P 6. What is he doing? (And where is he do-
I .

manual. ing it?)

P 7. What is he thinking about?
ADMINISTRATION P 8. How does he feel? Why?
First, the subject is asked to draw as T 1. What kind of tree is that?
good a picture of a House as he can; he T 2. Where is that tree actually located? .
is told that he may draw any kind of T 3. About how old is that tree?
House he wishes ; he may erase as much T 4. Is that tree alive?
T 5. A (If subject says that the tree is alive)
as he likes ; and he may take as long as he (a) What is there about that tree
chooses-but his drawing must be free- that gives you the impression
hand. If he protests that he is no artist, that it’s alive?
(b) Is any part of that tree dead?
he is assured that the H-T-P is not a test What part?
of artistic ability. Then, in turn, he is (c) What do you think caused it to
asked to draw as good a picture of a Tree die ?
and a Person as he can-the whole per- (d) When do you think it died?
son, however ; not the head and shoulders B (If subject says that the tree is dead)
only. ( a ) What do you think caused it to
On the first page of the scoring folder die ?
(b) When do you think it died?
the examiner notes : (1) the exact order T 6. Which does that tree look more like to
in which the details of the House, Tree, you : a man or a woman?
and Person are drawn, numbering the T 7. What is there about it that gives you
items; (2) any spontaneous comment that impression?
T 8. If that were a person instead of a tree,
(whether statement or question ) made by which way would the person be facing?
the subject, recording it verbatim when T 9. Is that tree by itself, or is it in a group
possible, and any emotion exhibited by of trees?
T10. As you look at that tree, do you get the
the subject, relating the point of occur- impression that it is above you, below
rence of either comment or emotion to you, or about on a level with you?
the detail item being drawn, just drawn, T11. What is the weather like in this picture?
or about to be drawn; (3) any time- T12. Is there any wind blowing in this picture?
T13. Show me in what direction it is blowing?
latency shown by the subject, indicating T14. What sort of wind is it?
how long it lasted and where it took place ; T15. If you had drawn the sun in this picture,
(4) the time consumed by the subject where would you have put i t ?
for each of his drawings. T16. Do you see the sun as being in the north,
south, east, or west?
After the subject has completed his
drawings, the examiner turns to the post- H 1. How many stories does that house have?
drawing interrogation sheet and ques- H 2. Is that a frame-house, a brick-house, or
what?
tions the subject concerning what he has H 3. Is that your own house? Whose house
just drawn (the questions are spiralled is it?
so as to help prevent the establishment of H 4. Whose house were you thinking about
an “answer-set”) . Experience has shown while you were drawing?
that the act of drawing the House, Tree, H 5. Would you like to own that house your-
self? Why?
and Person often arouses a strong enio- H 6. If you did own that house, and you could
tional reaction ; that upon completion of do whatever you liked with it:
his drawings it is frequently possible for ( a ) Which room would you take for
your own? Why?
the subject to verbalize for the first time (b) Whom would you like to have live
hitherto suppressed material. in that house with you? Why?
 T H E H-T-P TEST 153

H 7. AS you look at that house, does it seem To conclude, the examiner records a
to be close by or far away? plan of the floors of the drawn House,
H 8. As you look at that house, do you get the noting the location and type-as living-
impression that it is above you, below
you. or ahout on a level with you? room, dining-room, etc.-( and occupant
H 9. What does that house make you think of the room, if any) of each room. The
of ? examiner also records, in the space pro-
H10. What does it remind you of? vided therefor, the answers to questions
H11. Is it a happy, friendly sort of house?
H12. What is there about it that gives you asked in an effort to ascertain the possi-
that impression? Me significance of scars on the Tree,
H13. Do you feel that way about most houses? broken or dead branches; shadows; and
Why? any deviant proportional or spatial or
H14. What is the weather like in this picture? positional relationships.
T17. What does that tree make you think of? The post-drawing questions listed above
T 18. What does it remind you of? are iiiinimal only. The examiner is ex-
T19. Is it a healthy tree? pected to ask such additional questions
T20. What is there about it that gives you as may be necessary to clarify the sub-
that impression ?
T21. Is it a strong tree?
ject’s responses or make clear his drawn
T22. What is there ahout it that gives you productions. This post-drawing inter-
that impression ? rogation s e s s i o n (more conveniently
known as the P-D-I) is intended to pro-
P 9. What does that person make you think vitle the exanliner with every possible
of ? opportunity to determine just what mean-
P10. What does that person remind you o f ?
P11. Is that person well? ing the constant stimulus words House,
P12. What is there about him that gives you Tree, and Person have had for the sub-
that impression ? ject.
P13. Is that person happy? On page 2 of the scoring folder pro-
P14. What is there about him that gives you vision is made for the quantitative scor-
that impression ? ing of the drawings. The attempt is to
P15. How do you feel about that person?
Why? measure intelligence by evaluating con-
P16. Do you feel that way about most people? cept formation.
Why I ANALYSIS
P17. What is the weather like in this picture?
P18. Whotri does that person remind you of? .A study (1943-44) of sets of drawings
Why?
P19. What dues that person need most? produced by 140 white adults of seven
predetermined intelligence levels revealed
T23. Whom does that tree remind you of? that items of detail, proportion, and per-
Why ? spective (spatial relationship) served
T24. What does that tree need most? best to differentiate between the levels.
- These items were numbered and assigned
HIS. Whom does that house make you think
of? W h y ? factor ratings as, D3 (very inferior), D2
H16. What does- that house need most? ( Imbecile), D1 (Moron) ; A1 (border-
line) through 52 (very Superior). All
.Sicpplcrricrrtary Questions factors, borderline through very Superior,
H17. To what does that chimney lead? (And were called “Good” ; all the D-factors
that chimney ?)
H18. To what does that walkway lead? were termed “Flaw.”
H19. If this were a person instead of a tree The quantitative scoring system de-
or shrub (or windmill, or any other vised enables the examiner : ( 1 ) to deter-
irrelevant object not a part of the mine the adult subject’s intelligence quo-
house itself). x*ho might it be?
tient (norms for children are not yet
T25. If this were a person instead of a bird available) ; (2) to compare the H-T-P
(or another tree, or any other irrele- IQ with the IQ attained by the subject
vant thing not a part of the originally on standard intelligence tests (any
drawn tree itself) who might it be? marked disparity may well be highly
P20. What kind of clothing does this person significant) ; (3) to detect quantitative
have o n ? differences between the disparate wholes
154 J O H N N. B U C K

(this, in turn, suggests qualitative differ- ohserver ; a segment of the drawing to the
ences in the areas tapped by those \\-hole drawing ; and segment to segment
wholes) ; (4) to appraise raw score scat- within a whole. Also evaluated a r e : the
ter (greater than average scatter suggests impression of “life” conveyed by the
personality disorganization). drawings ; the subject’s use of sexual de-
The correlation of the H-T-P I Q with tails (actual or symbolic) ; the conform-
the Stanford-Binet I Q was .45 for a ity of the drawings to reality. \‘. T i m :
small group of adult mentally deficient, appraised from the standpoints of time
epileptic, or psychotic patients. For consunied versus the quality of the draw-
larger groups, the correlation between ings (for the drawings both individually
the II-T-P I Q and the Wechsler-Bellevue antl as a group) ; and latency periods.
I Q has ranged from .56 to .74,with the VI. Coiiiirierits: (spontaneous or exanii-
correlation being somewhat higher the ner induced ; verbal or written) are evalu-
more maladjusted the subjects were. It ated as to volume, relevance, range, ob-
seems rather surprising that there should jectivity, .emotionality, point of occur-
be even this close a correlation between rence, and consistency. VII. Litie Qztal-
the unstructured and unstable H-T-P itg: appraised as to motor control, force,
and the highly structured antl relatively type. and consistency. VI 11. Sclf-Criti-
stable Stanford-Binet and the Wechsler- cisiii : considered from the standpoints of
Bellevue. type antl consistency. IX. Attitude:
Pages 3 and 4 of the scoring folder toward the whole task and the disparate
are reserved for a qualitative analysis of wholes. X. Drive: appraised as to
the drawings. In 1945-46, sets of draw- aniount, control, and consistency.
ings produced hy 150 white adults who The validity of the qualitative analysis
were either maladjusted, psychopathic, was tentatively demonstrated by three
epileptic,. psychoneurotic, or psychotic, methods : ( 1) comparison of conclusions
were studied in an attempt to identify antl diagnosis derived froin the H-T-P
factors (tentatively called P-factors) that with the conclusions of staff psychiatrists
would serve to differentiate, on any basis antl the staffs final diagnosis; (2) coni-
but that of intelligence per se, between parison of conclusions and diagnosis de-
drawings produced by these more or less rived from the H-T-P with the findings
abnormal subjects and drawings pro- on the Rorschach administered and inter-
duced by subjects who exhibited no ma- preted by a skilled Rorschach examiner ;
jor personality flaws. (3 ) cornparison of conclusions arrived at
This study showed that it was profit- through blind analyses of H-T-P pro-
able to analyze the drawings from the tluctions with ( a ) opinions of intimate
standpoints of : I. Concept: the drawings friends (psychiatrists or psychologists)
are appraised from the viewpoints of of the subjects, and (I)) the opinion of
their content, conventionality, and ob- insightful subjects concerning the ac-
jectivity ; the order in which the details curacy of deductions made from their
are produced within a given whole (atypi- drawings.
cal order of detail presentation is often It has been found ( 1 ) that the weight
the first indication of a breakdown in of each so-called P-factor ( a s P-1, for a
concept formation) ; and consistency. 11. potentially pathological sign ; P-2 for a
Details: evaluated as to their quantity, pathoformic item; and P-3 for a frank-
relevance, the emphasis placed upon them, ly pathological factor) must be deter-
and consistency. 111. Proportioii: con- mined on the basis of its relationship to
sidered from the viewpoints of the pro- the entire configuration presented by the
portional relationship of the drawn subject ; (2) that an item which may
whole to the form space ; a given segment have no significance in one setting may be
to the drawn whole ; segment to segment pathognomic in another.
within a given whole ; and consistency. 1STERPRETATIOS
IV. f’crspcctivc: appraised as to the posi-
tional relationship of the drawn whole to In addition to qualitative analysis, defi-
the form page; the drawn whole to the nite interpretation of content-whether
 T H E H-T-P TEST 155

actual or symbolic-may be undertaken, subject’s past which he regards as pain-

and to good advantage. But interpreta- fully traumatic.
tion must always he made with great cir- It is postulated further that the trunk
cumspection, and i n the light of as coni- represents the subject’s feeling of basic
plete a knowledge of the subject’s back- power : that the branch structure repre-
ground as possible, and the subject him- sents his feeling of ability to derive satis-
self must I)r afforded every possible op- faction from his environment; that the
portunity to indicate the meaning that organization of the drawn whole repre-
his drawings have for him. bents his feeling of intra-personal balance.
It has been found that the House. a The Person as a living, or recently liv-
dwelling place, and as such the scene of ing. human being obviously lends itself
the most intimate and frequently the most well to direct self-portraiture : the sub-
satisfying or frustrating inter-personal ject may draw himself as he nozc is (in
relationships experienced by the subject, which case cosmetic flaws, physiological
most often represents honie (home as it malformations, etc., are often reproduced
is now, as it was in the past, or as the faithfully, but usually as if mirrored) ;
suhject would like it to be in the future). he may ,draw himself as he ferls (and the
Regarded ah a portrait of the subject imjection of body-feeling is often strik-
himself, the House can provide the es- ing) ; or he may draw himself as hc zewuld
aniiner with infornlation concerning the likc to be. In a sense the drawn Person
subject’s psycho-sexual a d j u s t ni e 11 t appears always to be a self-portrait, but
(hased 011 thc subject’s ability to handle t o the subject it niay Be the individual
the several sexual symbols presented by whom the subject most likes or dislikes.
the House) : the subject’s contact with or toward whom he has highly ambivalent
reality (the ground line is postulated as feelings. From the drawn Person the
representing the level of reality ; the far- examiner may learn the subject’s concept
ther one gtws upward therefrom the of his sexual role (based on the physio-
closer one approaches phantasy) ; and the logical characteristics emphasized), and
subject’s accessibility (doors are inodes the subject’s attitude toward interpersonal
of ingress and egress ; windows usually relationships in general (based largely on
provide for visual contact). the perspective employed and the sub-
The Tree. an inanimate living, or o w - ject’s comments).
time living. thing, in an elemental. stress- .Is evidence that the H-T-P does actu-
ful environnient. is apparently the one ally get below the superficial level of the
of the three disparate wholes that is most personality we have the following bits of
likely to convey to the examiner the sub- evidence : ( 1) a large number of subjects
ject’s felt impression of himself in rela- have exhibited strong, overt, emotional
tion to his environment, since its strtlc- reactions during the drawing phase or the
ture and the method of its presentation 1’. D. I., or both, which suggests that
are less dictated I)? conventional stereo- areas of acute sensitivity have been
type than are the structure and method tapped ; and the very strength of the emo-
of presentation of the House and the Per- tional responses implies that more than
son. Further. it is apparently easier for the so-called surface has been scratched ;
a subject to portray graphically the rav- ( 2 ) during the P. D. I., or in subsequent
ages of environmental pressure upon a interviews, subjects have spontaneously
‘Tree than upon a House or a Person interpreted certain details, proportionat
without arousing within himself an distortions, perspective flaws, etc., and
awarenesb of such portrayal. A tortu- have thereafter been able to verbalize ma-
ous and twisted trunk, broken branches, trrial previously unexpressible by them ;
scars, etc., the equivalent of which would ( 3 ) a number of subjects have reported
represent obvious mutilation on the that for several nights following the ad-
House or Person, serve only to add real- ministration of the H-T-P they dreamt
-
ism to the drawing of the Tree and are iiiore frequently, more vividly, and more
often found to represent events in the disturbingly than theretofore.
156 J O H N N. BUCK

ILLUSTRATIVE
CASE been able to maintain himself much above
the marginal level economically, until
The following sample case should illus- shortly before this examination when he
trate rather well just what may be ex- had started selling life insurance and had
pected from the H-T-P. begun to do well once the threat of an
K. N. is a 26-year-old) white, male, imiiiediately and constantly supervising
native Virginian, who came to one of the inale figure (presumably a father sub-
Colony’s mental hygiene clinics in 1946. stitute) was removed. He was married,
Although he was a high school graduate but he had never made a satisfactory
and although he had a Wechsler-Bellevue, sexual adjustment: this he attributed to
Form I, full IQ of 121, he had never his wife’s physical incapacity. Mr. N
HOUSE

?CISON

FIG.2. Drawings of House, Tree aiid Person made by illustrative case, Mr. K. N.
 T H E H-T-I’ TEST 157

complained of chronic fatigue, diffuse house keeper, when they ivere sinall IJO~S.
anxiety, low thresholds for frustration Their father had left them there while he
and satiation ; he listed an imposing nuin- went to look for work-after their inother
ber o f soniatic c()niplaints. On psycho- hatl deserted the family.
logical exaiiiination it was found that he 2. Llctoils: the absence of a chimney
was far too prone t o seek in phantasy the ( an omission not explainable here on the
satisfactions that hatl thus far eluded hiin grounds of intellectual inferiority) sug-
gests two things: (1) a definite lack of
,.
i n the ivorld o f reality.
1 he diagnosis was : I’sychoneurosis. ivarnith in the home situation ; ( 2 ) difi-
niised type. with ahove average intelli- culty dealing with niasculine sex sym-
gence. hols. The trees and the shrub, which at
~ ~ ~ ~ . ~ s T l l AS Cl O
l K
V I ES G first sight appeared to be highly irrelevant
details, were found to symbolize ( f roin
Several thiiigs are to he deduced from left to right) the father, the patient’s
the quantitative score (see Figure 1 ) at- brother, and the mother (note that sym-
tained by Mr. S on the H-T-P. We find lmlically as well as actually. she is the
that whereas he hatl an 19 of 121 on the farthest away) ! The tentative walkway,
Wechsler. his li-T-P I Q is only 107: the ladder-like steps, and the pseudobar
this diminished function is compatible drawn across the porch appear to syn-
with the diagnosis aforenientioned. The I)olize (viewing the House in this instance
individual raw factor scatter is from ;IS a self-portrait) ( 1 ) his relative in-
high tlull average to very superior. is \villingness to permit access to his real
greater than the three level scatter usu- seli: (2) his reluctance to make inter-
ally seen in \vell-adjustetl patients, but is I)ersoiial relationships except upon his
not indicative of a major disturbance. The t iwii terms.
r a n I). A. and 5 factor ratio indicates a I le drew his windows in iiiost unusual
potential function ( i f at least above aver- wpience; drew the second from the left
age; and the suggestion is that the rela- i n the second story last of all. This led
tively high 1)-factor score represents rle- the examiner to suspect the arousal of a
pression of functiriri as a result of emo- tletinitely unpleasant association with the
tional disturbance. for the individual D- rooiii from which that window opened.
factors themselves (lo not suggest organic I he suspicion was strengthened by the
I .

deterioration and the organization within har-like window panes ; later confirmed by
the wholes is good. the patient himself when he stated that
~VA1,ITATlVE SCORISG
the window in question was that of the
rooiii that he and his I)rothei- had (JC-
.Analysis reveals the presence of 4 1’-1 c upi ed.
factors. antl 4 1’-2 factors for the House ; I’ost-Draw’irg Coiniiicnts: \Vhen the
5 P-1’s antl 1 1’-2 for the Tree; 6 P-1’s patient was asked which room of this
and 3 P-2’s for the Person (these P- house he would occupy if the house were
factors are described and interpreted in his o w i i , he indicated that he would take
the next section). The presence of 8 the second-story room farthest to the
P-2 factors is indicative of a personality right. at the back of the house. Further
nialadjustment of a serious. hut by no interrogation elicited the fact that when
means critical type ( f o r there are no he and his brother had lived in that house,
P-3’s) . that particular room had k e n that oi a
I NTIHI’KETATIOS \.~)iiiigdancer who had been uncommonly
H o ~ r s c :( 1 ) C’orrc-rpt: i n the post-draw- &I to the boys.
ing interrogation session, Mr. 9. ex- +
pressed himself aiiiazetl to recognize his 7r-r(.: 1. Coiicppt: The patient identi-
drawn House (see Figure 2 ) as an ex- tied his tree as an oak that had been in the
cellent likeness o f the one in which lie hackyard of a childhood home (not that
and his younger brother had suffered ( J f the drawn house. howeverj-so much
greatly at the haiitls o f a sadistic boarding- for the manifest.content. .As for the la-
158 J O I I N N . BL‘CK

tent content: in the P. D. I. Mr. N stated but never before below the waist, which
that his Tree.appeared to him to be more would imply a strong desire to stay away
feminine than masculine ; reminded him from the conflict-producing pelvic area.
of his niother-dead (in effect) since she In many ways this is a self-portrait ; a pro-
deserted the family when Mr. N was nine jection of body-feeling : Oscar-as he
years of age. On questioning (making calls his Person-stands in rigid, rela-
the assumption that temporally the tively helpless position. The bulbous
groundline represents infancy : the top- nose, the scrawny neck, the malformed
most portion of the Tree, the present) it ear. depict his expressed feelings of awk-
was found that for the patient the scar wardness and unattractiveness (actually
near the trunk’s base stood for the death Mr. N is a rather good-looking, clean-cut
of a playmate when Mr. N was four ; the chap).
scar farther up the trunk symbolized 2. Drtnils: The emphasis on mouth
psychic trauma sustained at life age 15 and cigar suggests strong oral preoccupa-
by Mr. N at the death of his brother. tion. The over-emphasis on relatively
The prominent baseline (drawn before unessential details of clothing such as
the topmost branches were put on) is lapel slits, pocket handkerchief, etc., im-
interpreted as indicating insecurity. plies narcissistic self-contemplation with
Proportion: The size of the Tree when compensatory self -adornment.
compared to the form page size suggests 3. Perspective: The careful centering
that Mr. N feels definitely constricted by of the drawn Person on the form page
and in his environment. is believed to be indicative of strong
Perspective: The leaning of the Tree feelings of insecurity.
to the right implies that the psychological 4. Post-Drawing Coiniizents: Mr. N
future plays a large role in his psycho- said that Oscar is a drugstore cowboy,
logical field from the temporal standpoint ; standing on the corner, watching the girls
that the subject is trying to suppress the go hy. hir. N added a bit wryly, “It’s
past. all in his head !” indicating his feeling of
Spontaneous Conzinent: While he was dissatisfaction with his own present sex-
drawing, Mr. N remarked, “I’m inore in- ual role.
terested in dead trees than I aiii in live He later continued, “Oh, he’s day-
ones! Is that 0. K.?”-indicating an dreaming like me. . . . I’d be standing on
awareness of the morbidity of his inter- the corner wondering how my wife was ;
est. what was going on at home.” Further
Post-Drawing Coinrnents: -At first RIr. interrogation brought out the fact that
N stated that his Tree was dead ; he later in some respects Mr. N’s wife is a mother
amended this, however, to say that the
Tree was living, but was neither healthy substitute.
nor strong. This is interpreted as indi- SUMMARY
cating an awareness of recently increased Evidence is presented that appears to
possibilities for securing satisfaction from justify the following conclusions :
his environment, but an awareness as yet
not sufficient to dispel the overwhelming 1. 14r. K has a basic intelligence level
of at least above average ; he is pres-
feeling of futility that has handicapped ently suffering a diminution of func-
him in recent years. tional efficiency which does not,
f
however, appear to be irreversible.
Person: 1. Concept: Mr. N’s Person 2. IIr. K has experienced acute frus-
is, in his opinion, the portrait of a per- tration in his attempts to satisfy his
son whose attitudes, abilities, etc., are major needs (security,, affection,
utterly unlike his own. Mr. N remarked achievement, autonomy). This has
somewhat ruefully that he wished that he resulted in the development of strong
could be as “slaphappy” and carefree as feelings that his environment is
his drawn Person. Mr. N had drawn constrictive and unsatisfying ; that
this “doodle” figure niaay times before. he is incapable of coping with it.
 OC U LA R ACTIVITY 159

3. Mr. 9's inability to enact a fully ma- less than average intelligence ; (3) the
ture male sexual role has produced non-verbal phase is almost completely un-
painful anxiety. structured which compels projection ; (4)
4. hlr. N has developed a tendency to the act of drawing House, Tree, and Per-
avoid inter-personal relationships ; a son is frequently so emotion-producing
tendency to act in rigid and unsure that during it or afterwards subjects can
fashion in those relationships that verbalize hitherto suppressed (and per-
he cannot avoid. haps at times repressed) material; (5)
5. Mr. N has sought satisfaction in the post-drawing interrogation system
phantasy, but without much success. perinits the subject to define, interpret,
6 . From the temporal point of view, and associate concerning his drawn pro-
hlr. N's psychological field is doini- ductions, and provides him also with an
nated by events of the past; events opportunity for further projection.
that were usually highly unpleasant At present the H-T-P's major disad-
for him. He is now striving strongly vantages appear to be: (1) the relative
to orient himself more adequately to lack of objectivity of the methods of
the future. qualitative analysis and interpretation ;
CONCLUSION (2) the absence of score and response
patterns positively identified as pathog-
In favor of employment of the H-T-P noniic for specific syndromes. The work
appear to be the following points: ( 1 ) of validation is continuing. It is hoped
the approach to the appraisal of the total ultimately to be able to support many of
personality is both non-verbal and ver- the qualitative and interpretative points
bal ; (2) drawing, a relatively primitive by experimental evidence. The original
method, facilitates expression by sub- tentative manual is being revised and will
jects who are withdrawn or who are of he released soon in monograph form.

OCULAR .ACTIVITY DURING ADMINISTRATION OF T H E

RORSCHACH TEST
ROBERT R. BLAKE
University of Texas

1NTRODUCTION Descriptions of ocular activity during

inspection of the Rorschach cards have
Need for tested and verified knowledge been presented by Beck('), Rapapod8)
concerning perceptual processes for both and others. In general, they have been
theoretical understanding and diagnostic based either on casual observation of ocu-
purposes has recently been emphasized by lar activity or on inferences about it
RapaporP). Systematic investigation of drawn from experience with different
perceptual behavior among normal sub- kinds of verbal responses to the cards.
j ects during administration of appropriate While no quantitative study has been
diagnostic tests is a step toward this goal. made, such information is needed for
This report which is based on photo- more thorough understanding of the
graphic recording of ocular behavior dur- theoretical implications of the meanings
ing administration of the Rorschach test
of Rorschach responses.
is designed to evaluate certain aspects of
that activity. However, the results are REVIEWOF THE LITERATURE
also related to the more general psycho-
logical problem of the manner in which Since this study is not concerned with
perception of flat surfaces occurs. the Rorschach as a diagnostic test, studies