Black Thematic Apperception Test stimulus material

A factorial design was used to test variations of the TAT based on racial characteristics. The subjects consisted of 135 black Southern males divided into three test groups of 45 subjects each. The M-TAT, T-TAT, or an experimental version of the TAT for blacks was group administered to each test group of 45 subjects. Each of the three test groups were further divided into three age groups of 15 subjects each designated as residents, college students or high school students. Subjects' responses to the racial characteristics and needs content across tests and age groups were examined. The data revealed: (a) subjects could distinguish the racial characteristics of black and white TAT material, (b) subjects indicated that black TAT material facilitated the writing of their stories, (c) subjects viewed the black TAT characters as more like "people in general," (d) both figure and background stimuli are important to subjects, and (e) content differences on need for achievement was found between age groups.