Sach Sentence Completion Test

Reported by:Iris FraniBSE VE

What is Projective Techniques? Based on the phenomenon of projection. “Belief is to believe in something that is intangible and invisible.”

(Napoleon Bonaparte ) Unstructured tests used for personality assessment that rely on

the subject's interpretation of ambiguous stimuli. Involve asking subjects to interpret or fill in visual stimuli,

complete sentences, or report what associations particular words bring to mind.

Theoretical Foundations Uncover feelings, beliefs, attitudes and motivation which

many consumers find difficult to articulate. Discover the person’s characteristic modes of perceiving his

or her world and how to behave in it Enter the private worlds of subjects to uncover their inner

perspectives in a way they feel comfortable with

Practical Approach of Projective Techniques

A way of transcending communication barriers.• Not always share their innermost feelings.• Unaware of their underlying motives, aspirations,

values and attitudes • Fear being considered irrational or stupid • Reluctant to admit to certain types of behavior

• Instead of questioning them directly, In talking about a third party or an object, the subjects

project their covert feelings to the third party or object: Low literate consumers Children, adolescents Impulsive/compulsive/addictive buyers People in the face of catastrophe Gay and lesbian consumers

Advantages (+) 1. The amount, richness and accuracy of the information. 2. A view of the overall functioning of individuals. 3. “Breaking the Ice” in a focus-group discussion.

Disadvantages (-) 1.The complexity of the data and the corresponding skills

2.Expensive to administer 3.Sampling & Generalization 4.The reliability of measures

BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHORDr. Joseph M. Sacks and other psychologist of the

New York Veterans Administrative Mental Hygiene Service developed a sentence completion test designed to obtain significant clinical material in four representative areas of adjustment.

Description of the Scale The Sacks Sentence Completion test was administered for

self-concept, interpersonal relation and family environment. It provide respondents with beginnings of sentences, referred

to as “stems,” and respondents then complete the sentences in ways that are meaningful to them.

It has felt that items included in this test present sufficient opportunities for the subject to express his attitudes so that clinical psychologist may infer his dominant personality traits or trends.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SCALEIt is a sixty (60) item-test, in the following group of

variables: 1. SCALE FAMILY: The family area included three

sets of attitudes namely: a) those towards mother,b) father, c) family unit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SCALE

2. The Sex Area The sex area includes attitude towards woman and

heterosexual relationship.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SCALE3. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPThe area of interpersonal relationship includes

attitudes towards friends and acquaintances, colleagues at work or school, superior at work or school, and people supervised.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SCALE4. SELF-CONCEPT: The area of self-concept includes fear, guilt

feelings, goals and attitudes towards one’s own ability, concept of himself as he is, he was and as he hopes to be.

USAGE OF THE TESTThe uses of sach sentences completion test

include personality analysis, clinical application, attitude assessment, achievement motivation and measurement of other constructs. They are used in several disciplines, including psychology, management, education, and marketing.

Validity and ReliabilityUsually, sentence completion tests can be interpreted in

two different ways: subjective-intuitive analysis of the underlying motivations

projected in the subject's responsesobjective analysis by means of scores assigned to each

completed sentence. Multiple themes can occur in a short test, which gives

the examinee multiple opportunities to reveal underlying motivations about each topic during data analysis.

Validity and ReliabilityIt usually include some formal coding procedure or

manual. The validity of each sentence completion test must be determined independently.

The validity of the rating is dependent of course upon the clinical background of the examiner as well as the materials produced by the subject.

A rating is made of the subject’s degree of disturbance in this area according to the following scale:2 - SEVERELY DISTURBED Appears to require the therapeutic aid in handling emotional conflicts in this area. 1 – MILDLY DISTURBED Has emotional conflict in this area but appears able to handle them without therapeutic aid. 0 – No Significant disturbance rated in this area X – Unknown, Insufficient evidence

• The following are the summaries and ratings of the individual attitudes and outlines presented for a general summary of the SSCT findings. This includes the following:

1. Statement of those areas in which subject shows the most disturbed attitudes. This may provide significant clues for therapist. 2. A description of the interrelationships between attitudes with respect to content. This often illuminates dynamic factors in the case.

Certain influences on the subject’s personality structure case be made on the basis of the SSCT, such as: 1. The subject’s manner of response to impulse from within or to stimuli from the environment. 2. The subject’s nature of response to stress –impulsive or well-controlled. 3. The subject’s thinking content: realistic, artistic, and fantastic.

References:http://psychology.jrank.org/pages/506/Projective-Techniques.html#ixzz3gy6afUeWhttp://legendarycon.blogspot.com/2010/07/sacks-sentence-completion-test-nature.htmlhttps://prezi.com/jvkx9avef9bo/sacks-sentence-completion-test/