SZONDI RESULTS IN GROUP TESTING WITH COLLWE STUDENTS 381

were found between the two groups of subjects. Various interpretations for these results were

SUMMARY The problem of this experiment was to

determine whether a characteristic of certainty or confidence can be assessed by means of the Thematic Apperception Test. Ninety subjects were asked to in- dicate their degree of certainty, on a five point scale, for their predictions of un- certain occurrences. More specifically, the subjects predicted, in response to various light combinations, whether a buzzer would follow. There was no basis for predictions of high certainty, inas- much as the buzzer followed each light combination on f3ty percent of the trials in random order. The ten subjects who gave the highest certainty ratings and the ten subjects who gave the lowest certainty ratings were administered the Thematic Apperception Test. Stories were analyzed by means of a Murray@) need analysis and were also analyzed for language usage and for desirability of outcomes of stories. Few striking differ- ences, but several suggestive differences,

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

REFERDNCES BALKEN, EVA R., & MASSHIWAN, J. H. The language of phantasy: 111. The language of the phanhmes of patients with conversion hysteria, anxiety state, and obsessive-com-

ulsive neuroses. J. Psychol., 1940,10,75-86. ASTINGER, L. Studiea in decision: 11. An em,pirical test of a quantitative theory of de- cision. J. exp. Psychl. 1943, 32, 411-423. ~ l c ~ m n a A N M. confidence ratings an index of &culty. J . exp. Psychol., 1937,21, 113-119. JOHNSON, D. M. Confidence end s

1939, 241, 1-52. JOHNSON, D. M BE RHOADES, C. Meaeure-

ment of e aubjeche aspect of learning. J . ezp. Psych~l., 1941 28,90-92.

New York: Oxford University Press, 1938. POSTMAN, L., & Earl, J. P. E erimental

ychology: an introduction. x w York: g&per & Broe., 1949. VOLKMA", J. The relation of the time of judgment to the certainty of judgment. Pqchol. BuU., 1934,31,672-673.

the two-category judgment. Arch. Pin sychd.,

MURRAY H. A. Ekprrrationa in prnsonality.

SZONDI RESULTS I N GROUP TESTING WlTH COLLEGE STUDENTS DAVID COLE AND EUGENE ROBERTS

Occidental College

PROBLEM The purpose of this study waa to in-

vestigate the Szondi Test performances of undergraduate college students, with the aim of obtaining a concrete picture of what trends may characterize such a population.

METHOD The subbets of the study were f3ty

undergraduate students, enrolled in an introductory course in psychology. The tmting was by a group technique, where &dm of the six Szondi sets were pro-

cfed on a screen in front of the group. k this group technique, each Smndi set is pmented in sequence with standard 8mndi instructions, and the subjects BFB eraked to indicate their preferences and rejections on individual charts. The entdre procedure requires about Beven rnkutep for a given presentation, and the

testing was continued at the start of each class hour for ten consecutive class meet- ings. These meetings covered three and one third weeks. Permission to produce the slides was obtained from the pub- lisher of the Szondi materials, Hans Huber, Bern, Switzerland. The group technique appeared entirely satisfactory from the standpoint of mechanics of ad- ministration. In a study in progress, L. J. Borstelmann and W. G. Klopfer, of the University of California, have demon- strated that the results obtained thr use of the group technique do not di er from those obtained via individual ad- ministration.

The results of the testing have been analyzed to reveal:

1. To what extent are the pictures of the test utilized or rejected on more t b a chance basis?

YP

382 DAVID COLE AND EUGENE ROBERTS

2. Once a picture is selected, does the An effort was made to obtain ten nature of the selection have a constant records from each participant. Seven- direction, or may the picture be random- teen of the women and eleven of the men ly selected as “most preferred,” and met this criterion. Only one woman had “least preferred?” as few as seven sessions; among the re- 3. Are there certain pictures within a maining twelve men, ten completed nine,

given clinical group that are more gen- one eight, and one five sittings. There erally liked while others within the same are a total of 213 records from the men clinical category are more often disliked, students and 255 from the women.

RBSUI,TS by our subjects as a whole? In her an- alysis of the Szondi record of Gregor(’1, Deri implies that the stimulus values of As Table I indicates, selection of a individual pictures within a given group given SBondi picture does not occur on a are not constant, but does not. give fig- chance basis in most cases. For the ures supporting this. women, among the forty eight pictures,

Twenty three of the students used in thirty five are either selected or ignored this study were men and twenty seven with a frequency which reaches either were women. The median age of the men the .01 or .05 confidence level. Similar was twenty, with a range from eighteen figures hold for the men. to twenty nine. The median age of the Table I1 shows that given pictures are women was nineteen, with a range from in most cases predominately liked or dis- eighteen to twenty four. The subjects liked. Most of the pictures have clear- were predominately sophomores. cut affective value for our subjects.

TABLE I SELECTION OF INDIVIDUAL SZONDI CARDS BY SET

Clinical Selection Frequency Clinical Selection Frequency

Women Men Women Men Category

Set I Set IV

Category

H S E HY K P D M

Set I1 H S E

P D M

P

Set 111 H S E HY K P D M

33 % ** 45 % 74 70 **

52 %

40%

2 $:: 59 % ;*

40 % * * 60 % **

15 % **

68 % **

90% 54%**

40 %** 33 % **

45 55 33 78 65 22 20 82

% % % ** % ** % ** % ** % % ::

32 yo ** 38 % ** :$:: 71 % ** 12 yo ** 64 70 ** 77 % **

39 % ** 53 % 48 % 81 70 ** 22 70 ** 59 % * 48 % 50 %

35 % 36 % 30 % 71 % 82 % 33% 45 % 68 %

** ** ** ** ** ** **

H S E

P F D M

Set V H S E

P F D

, M Set VI

H S E

Ey D

I

D M

70 % ** 17 % :* 59 % 45 % 43 % * 61 % * * 36 yo ** 67 70 **

50 % 47 % 54 %

40 %** 32 % **

g 2 ** 62 % **

43 % *

44%* 53 % 52 % 79 % ** 42 % *

;; $ **

72 % ** 33 % ** 57 % * & % * 52 %

55 % 5; 2 **

64 % ** 55 % 48 %

60 %** 31 % ** & % * 35 70 **

61 70 **

* Exceeds chance frequency (50 per cent) at .05 confidence level. ** Exceeds chance frequency (50 per cent) at .01 confidence level.

SZONDI RESULTS IN GROUP TESTINQ WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS 383

TABLE I1 PREFERENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL SZONDI CARDS BY CLJNICAL CATE~GORY

Women Men Clinical Times Times Times Times Category Selected selected Selected Selected

as Liked as Disliked as Liked as Disliked Homosexual

Set I Set I1 set 111 Setm setv Set VI

Sadist set1 Set I1 set I11 setm Setv setvI

Epi'%?I set I1 set I11 set IV Setv setvI

Hysteric SetI Set 11 Set I11 setm setv Set VI

Catatonic SetI Set I1 Set 111 Set IV SetV Set VI

Paranoid Set I Set I1 Set I11 Set IV Set v Set VI

Depressive Set I Set I1 Set 111 Set IV Setv Set VI

BtI Set I1 Set 111 Set IV S e t V Set VI

Manic

25 54 57 53

103 89

34 81 90 68 25 26

150 28 54 28 68 2

51 2 7

21 20 79

0 18 3 84 30

119

105 72 22

111 106 59

7 58 30 19 7 1

56 118 159 43 64 54

46 * 31 * 39 81 * 46 ** 17 **

61 * 47 ** 26 ** 46 * 11 * 73 **

7 ** 87 ** 16 ** 42 58

112 **

4 ** 189 ** 160 ** 37 * 75 ** 19 **

154 ** 13

136 ** 25 ** 62 ** 29 **

6 ** 12 **

24 4 **

23 ** 26 **

118 ** 13 ** 13 *

148 ** 70 **

132 **

30 * 26 ** 16 ** 42 78 * 15 **

30 27 51 42

148 147

17 48 55 96 63 11

217 23 66 41 65 10

17 1

15 74 24

115

3 44 2

100 28

104

19 132 77 129 86 42

15 117 111

1 29 13

191 119 132 27 68 69

52 * 72 ** 38 68 ' 35 ** 18 **

81 ** 87 ** 37 34 ** 21 **

130 **

13 ** 99 ** 11 ** 53 80

113 **

16 206 ** 167 ** 38 ** 83 ** 41 **

178 ** 12 **

207 ** 35 **

105 ** 50 **

l2 ** ;g** 4 **

42 ** 37

149 ** 6 ** 4 **

200 ** 69 ** 99 **

6 ** 9 ** 42 ** 79 ** 73 20 **

Maximum number of selections for men: 213 Maximum number of selections for women: 255 * Likedialike trend varies from chance at .05 confidence level. ** Likedislike trend varies from chance at .01 confidence level.

384 DAVID COLE AND EUGENE ROBERTS

For some of the pictures there are deiinite sex differences in terms of af- fective value. The sadist picture in set I1 is selected as “liked” by the men at the .01 level of confidence, and as “disliked” by the women at the same confidence level. Further, the predominant re- sponse to a given picture, once selected, changes direction for pictures within the same clinical category. For example, among the six catatonics, for the women the group trend is to select three of them as liked at the .01 level of confidence, while the other three are selected as dis- liked, to the same degree of statistical probability.

It would seem that this variance with- in a clinical category must be regarded as crucial both in interpretation of in- dividual test resulb and in consideration of test rationale. While not involving directly the question as to whether or not the clinical categories used by the test display uniform facial character- istics, these data do suggest that other, possibly more superficial characteristics of the individual cards are of consider- able importance in determining group trends. The presumed commonality of certain aspects of the pictures in a given clinical category do not appear to be

crucial in determining our subject’s re- actions to the pictures.

Table 111 indicates the frequency of specific reactions to specific categories. Only a few of these show statistically re- liable sex differences.

Table IV shows the frequency with which particular vector constellations occur. The chief sex differences lie not in the number of individuals who obtain a given vector pattern, but in the fre- quency with which persons of the given sex repeatedly give the pattern, once it occurs in their profile at all. It would appear that for interpretive purposes, the chief sex differences are in terms of the degree of consistency of particular test reaction&, not in terms of occurrence versus non-occurrence.

Although it will not be dealt with ex- tensively, readers who study Table IV will note that many of our results are directly in line with what might be pre- dicted from Deri’s Introduction to the Szondi Test. In the Sexual Vector for example, plus H proves predominately a feminine reaction and plus S chiefly masculine. Plus E, minus Hy is by far the most common pattern in the Par- oxysmal Vector. The frequency of the anxiety indicative minus E, minus Hy

TABLE 111 GROUP TRENDS IN SZONDI FACTOR SCORES

Sexual Vector Ego Vector Men Women Men Women

Plus H 39% 49% * Minus H 24% h e n H 27% ;; 2 Abbiv H 10% 09%

Plus S 31% 17%** Minus S 27% 33% Open S 30% 35% Ambiv S 12% 15%

Paroxysmal Vector Men Women

Plus E 24% 41%** Minus E 21% 2 5 p Ope? E 26% ‘ 17/2%* Ambiv E 29% 17%%

Plus HY 02% 09% Minus Hy 70% 64% Open. HY 15% 15% Ambiv Hy 13% 12%

Plus K 10% 05% Minus K 46% 56% * Open K 20% 13% Ambiv K 24% 26%

Plus P 71% 62%* Minus P 03% 08% Open P 23% 28% Ambiv P 03% 02%

Contact Vector Men Women

Plus D 04% 09 % Minus D 66% 58% Open D 20% 15% Ambiv D 10% 18% * Plus M 59% 62% Minus M 10% 10 % Open M 15% 16% Ambiv M 16% 12%

* Percentage daerence significant at .05 confidence level. ** Percentage dserence significant at .01 confidence level.

SZONDI RESULTS IN GROUP TESTINQ WPTH COLLEGE STUDENTS 385

TABLE IV GROUP TRIONDS IN SZONDI VZICTOR PATTERNS

Sexual Vector Plus H. Plus PlG H; Minus Plus H, Open Plus H, Ambiv

Minus H, Plus Minus H, Minus Minus H, Open Minus H, Ambiv

Open H, Plus Open H, Minus Open HI Open Open H, Ambiv

Ambiv H, Plus Ambiv H, Minus Ambiv H, Open Ambiv H, Ambiv

Paroxysmal Vector Plus E, Plus Plus E. Minus Plus E; Open Plus El Ambiv

Minus E, Plus Minus E, Minus Minus E, Open. Minus E, Ambiv

Open E, Plus Open El Minus

Open E, Ambiv

Ambiv E, Plus Ambiv El Minus Ambiv E, Open. Ambiv E, Ambiv

Ego Vector

Open E, open

Plus K, Plus Plus K. Minus Plus K; Open Plus K, Ambiv

Minus K, Plus Minus K, Minus Minus K, Open Minus K, Ambiv

Open I(, Plus Open K, Minus open K, open Open K, Ambiv

Ambiv K Plus h b i v b, Minus Ambiv K, Open Ambiv K, Ambiv

S S S S

S S S S

S S S S

8 S S S

HY HY HY HY

HY HY HY HY HY

HY HY HY

HY HY HY HY

P P P P

P P P P

P P P P

P P P P

Frequency of Pattern Occurence

Men 23 24 17 19

13 13 25 1

22 16 17 2

9 4 5 3

2 35 5

10

1 36 3 5

0 39 8 8

1 39 15 6

19 1 3 0

65 2

27 4

29 3 7 1

38 0

13 1

Women 27 39 46 ** 13

13 17 20 3

8 ** 21 11 12

5 7

13 0

10 63 * 21 11

5 45 6 7

1 32 5 6

6 * 23 ** 5'

10

8 ** 0 5 0

91 17 ** 32 3

22 1 7 2

40 1

26* 0

Number of Subjects Showing Pattern

Men 8 7 7 7

6 5 9 1

6 6 7 2

5 3 5 1

2 16 4 7

1 12 3 5

0 13 3 4

1 13 6 3

5 1 2 0

20 1

11 3

10 2 4 1

11 0 7 1

Women 10 13 9 6

7 6 5 1

5 10 6 6

3 3 6 0

7 17 9 7

5 15 5 2

1 15 4 3

4 13 4 6

4 0 3 0

22 6

14 2

7 1 6 2

11 1 8 0

386 DAVID COLE AND EUGENE ROBERTS

TABLE IV (CONCLUDED) GROUP TRENDS IN SZONDI VECTOR PATTERNS

Frequency of Number of Subjects Pattern Ocsurence Showing Pattern

Contact Vector Men Women Plus D, Plus M 5 10 Plus D, Minus M 1 3 Plus D, Open M 1 7 ** Plus D, Ambiv M 2 3 Minus D. Plus M 90 100 Minus D; Minus M 10 17 Minus D, Open M 26 17 * Minus D, Ambiv M 15 14

Open D, Plus M Open D, Minus M Open D, Open M Open D, Ambiv M

21 19 9 5 2 1 9 13

Men 3 1 1 1

16 9 8 7 7 3 1 4

Ambiv D, Plus M 8 29 ** 4 Ambiv D, Minus M . 2 2 2 Ambiv D, Open M 3 15 3 Ambiv D, Ambiv M 9 0 ** 3 * Differences significant at .05 confidence level. ** Differences signilicant at .01 confidence level.

combination appears with the expected frequency for our adolescent group. The high incidence of plus P among college students, which she predicts, is demon- strated.

Of particular interest in the Ego Vector is comparison of our results with the stages of kgo development outlined by Deri. Readers who wish to compare our findings with her material will note that our population appears at the adolescent stage of development. This slight measure of immaturity might be anticipated from the general socio-econ- omic level of the participants.

CONCLUSIONS 1. Group administration of the Szondi

test is feasible and highly promising in expediting research.

2. Selection of and reaction to, various Szondi pictures show consistent trends for groups of similar subjects. The pic- tures appear to differ markedly in affect- ive tone. The significance of selection or rejection of given pictures in individual cases should be considered in light of these findings. As a hypothetical ex- ample, a female subject in our group who obtained a minus K by selecting as “dis- liked,’ the two catatonics so overwhelm- ingly accepted by the group as a whole would appear to deviate from the group

Women 5 3 4 2

22 8 10 10 9 3 1 7

10 3 6 0

markedly, although her minus K was typical of the group reaction to the catatonic category.

3. Different. pictures within the same clinical group have been shown to pro- duce decidedly different group reactions. This finding seems to throw some ques- tion on the extent to which facial char- acteristics common to a given diagnostic group are of chief importance in deter- mining Szondi choices. This finding, in view of the reported clinical success with the test, makes the search for an ade- quate rationale more demanding.

4. Many of the statements of Deri have been borne out. The extent to which one may make accurate predictive statements concerning group trends in test responses is of importance in determ- ining the ultimate diagnostic utility of the test instrument. The fact that such statements may be made concerning re- actions to the Szondi Test stimuli in- creases the potentialities of the test.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. DERI, SUSAN K., “The Szondi Test,” in

“The Case of Gregor: Interpretation of Teat Data,” Rorschach Research Exchange and Journal of Projective Techniques, 32, 1949, - . . 438-443.

2. DERI, SUSAN K., Introduction to the Szondi Test. New York: Grune & Stratton, Inc., 1949.354 pp.