What the TAT involves
In the Thematic Apperception Test you are shown a series of pictures, usually one at a time. Each picture is displayed for roughly 30 seconds. After it disappears you get about four minutes to write a story about what you observed — what led up to the scene, what is happening, and how it ends. The final slide in the standard set is blank: you imagine a situation of your own and write a story about it.
The pictures are often deliberately ambiguous. There is no single "correct" story — the test is about how you perceive a situation and how the characters in your story think and act.
How TAT practice works on SSB Psych Buddy
- Read the guidelines, then a short demo explains the timing before the first picture.
- Each picture is shown for 30 seconds, then hidden, followed by 4 minutes for writing.
- The next picture appears automatically, with a short bell so you know to look up.
- The blank picture is included only if you choose it — it is never added automatically.
- Up to 11 pictures plus the blank, so up to 12 stories in one set.
- A full-screen view enlarges each picture without stretching or distorting it.
- There is no countdown clock on screen — just like the real test.
You write your stories on paper. Nothing you write is typed into or stored by the website.
Getting more out of TAT practice
- Use the 30 seconds to note the characters, their mood and the setting, then decide quickly on a theme.
- Aim for a clear beginning, a sequence of events and a conclusion in every story.
- Practise regularly in shorter sets, then build up to the full 12 to develop stamina.
- After a session, revisit the same pictures from your Practice History and reflect on how you approached them.
Read our guide on how to practise TAT for a structured approach.