Word association and ink blot responses as a function of instructional sets and psychopathology.

Summary Predictions derived from traditional projective test theory were compared with those derived from Wallace's (1966) abilities conception of personality. Word association (WAT) and ink blot (IBT) tests were given to hospitalized patients and to college student controls under three instructional sets, namely, free association, instructions to produce popular responses, and instructions to produce original responses. The results showed a significant effect of instructions on WAT popular responses and WAT original responses, as well as on IBT popular responses. Latency measures on both instruments were also significantly affected. Only the IBT popular responses, however, differentiated the two groups, and the predicted interactions of instructions and psychopathology were not obtained for any measure.