SSB Center : Interpretation and Explanation of TAT Story at SSB Interview

Sample TAT Story and its Interpretation

This is an sample TAT story and its interpretation done at SSB interview in psychological test.

It is a picture of a house on fire.

Story:

Ritesh was the student of final year of engineering at College of Engineering, Pune, Maharashtra. At 10 A.M, while he was on his way to college, he heard the scream of a woman. He rushed to the spot, entered in her house and noticed that her house was catching fire from inside. There was no one as it were the working hours. He snatched the blanket from a nearby bed and struggled hard to prevent the beginning of the fire, but due to the wind, fire spread, extending him some burns. Sustaining minor burns boosted him to cool down the fire. He came out of the house consoling the woman to prevent the havoc. He deployed some passers by to gather the villagers and he himself made a loud cry. The villagers gathered with buckets of sand and dust and started throwing on the house. Ritesh got himself going up and started motivating and working with the people from one corner to another. Within 45 minutes, the fire was finally controlled. He gave thanks to the villagers, consoled the woman, took some first aid and went ahead to attend the college.

Interpretation and Explanation of TAT Story

The story reveals the identification of a Hero and a suitable Hero too completely. There is logical connection between the situation and the point of start. The situation is fire in the house and the man responsible for the point of start is Hero who was on the way to his college and his presence in the situation is justified.

The SRT (Situation Reaction Test) is a collection of routine situations, but the TAT is a situation of beyond routine. Another requirement is the element of desirability must be there. It happens when there is havoc, here the woman is crying to prevent and the Hero is fighting to cool down the fire. There must be will to do and skill to perform which is being revealed from the fighting skill of the Hero.

Now, the stage comes for the deployment of the resources and the management of resources and then the situation comes for direction. At the first stage, he snatched the blanket, as it was an available resource. When he found that the fire was spreading and he could not control, that he deployed the two passersby and got the people gathered with the bucket, dust etc.

Now, having got sufficient resources and manpower, he used his skill of directing, delegating and supervising the people whereas evaluation of psychologist is concerned, there is no lack of adjustment and there is no casual behaviour as the fire was brought under control within a shorter duration of 45 minutes.