The TAT 30 black and white cards. 10-15 are usually selected specifically for test taker. Some more appropriate for particular problems, issues, ages, genders, etc. The pictures tend to elicit certain kinds of themes. The idea is to put the individuals in somewhat ambiguous circumstances and let the subjects convey their relevant needs, presses, and thema in response to the cards.
Subjects tell stories about the pictures, with each receiving a potentially different sets of cards.
Of course, a given research project selects a consistent set of pictures. Scoring can be quantitative, but usually isn't in clinical contexts. Usually, the results are interpreted in a way similar to the way dreams are interpreted. There is no literal interpretation. Some major interpretative hypotheses are presented in Table 16-4, page 475.