TAT skills are very important in SSB, its a main part of psychology test and also PPDT requires perfect skills of writing a story. Earlier we have discussed about “How to write a story in TAT“, now this post is regarding the common mistakes done by a candidates while attempting TAT.
Conditions Responsible to Make a Story Undesirable and Psychologically Weak
Let’s look into a story, which would put light on the common stories made by the aspirants at the SSB’s.
Story:
Mahesh hailed from a remote area. He was a hard working and sincere student,who always thought about the development of his village. Mahesh completed his studies and became an engineer. Mahesh got posted to his district. He saw that his village lacked the basic infrastructure and because of the
funds, the village could hardly progress. Mahesh along with villagers approached the administration and requested the roads and bridges on the river. Soon, the Govt. sanctioned a bridge and a road to the village. Mahesh being the engineer was made the engineer of the construction work. Road and bridge was constructed, which brought prosperity to the village. Village became a modern village.
Line-wise Interpretation of the Above Story by the Psychologist
• Mahesh hailed from a remote village area – The first requirement of the TAT is the Hero identification and not the introduction. Here, the Hero identification is not complete. Another point here is,you should name the village, district, state etc.
• He was a hardworking and sincere student – Please note that, no unwanted details, impression management is required and even no adjectives like hard-working, sincere, national-champion, honest, brave etc. These qualities should be revealed through your action and through your problem solving behaviour.
• He always thought about the development of his village – Was there no one in the village to think about the development except him? For this, the Hero in the background should not necessarily be from an engineering background; rather he should be have been introduced as a social worker.
• Mahesh completed his studies and became an engineer – Which studies did Mahesh complete, whether B. Tech in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical etc and from where? Further, there was no one to see the progress of his village except him and that too, when he became an engineer. And before becoming an engineer, did he not see whether the village was lacking progress because of fund?
• Mahesh got posted to his Dist. He saw that his village lacked the basic infrastructure and because of the funds, the village could hardly progress – Again, Mahesh means the Hero is doing according to his wish by getting him posted to his own Dist and witnessing that the village lacked the basic infrastructure and due to the shortage of the funds, the village could not progress. So, what he is doing is writing the story as he wants. This kind of story is evaluated as Self-Generated Response. This means, you generate a response as per your wish and as per your convenience. See Mr. Mahesh is doing whatever he wants and the story is running according to his wish, hence termed as Wishful-Thinking.
• Mahesh along with his villagers approached the administration and requested the roads and bridges on the river. Soon, the Govt. sanctioned a bridge and a road to the village – Here, it means that getting the funds sanctioned was pre- determined, that the fund has to be sanctioned without hurdle or problem. Nothing comes ever so easy in life. Mahesh being the engineer, was made the engineer of the construction work – Again, here the story is being designed to suit the Hero and as he wants to perform.
• Road and bridge was constructed, which brought prosperity to the village. Village became a modern village – Again, here the story reveals a small effort and big achievement, which is not possible in practical life.
The Practical Interpretation of the Story with Context to Subjective Interpretation and Psychological Interpretation
The above interpretation by the Psyche officer was a subjective one. Now, we will see the psychological and actual interpretation which can make and break the story and may not allow the story to become psychologically desired one:
Please see, in the above story the person has not perceived the situation and seen of the situation properly and has not used/applied his imagination to observe that, what this particular situation demands:
• There is no similarity between the situation and the point of start. Now, the situation of the scene is that a person being alone is going ahead while facing the cyclone and heavy rain, that too in the night.
• The aspirant has not forced his intellectual imagination to imagine that, what this particular situation demands and what the aspirant has perceived or has written in the story – is it logical? What the Aspirant has Perceived and Written?
• The aspirant has perceived that a remote village has not progresses and no one has thought ever to do so except him, whereas the demand of the situation is something else.
• What he is expected to perceive to make his story imaginative and acceptable? The aspirant has perceived a Long-term goal, where as the demand of the situation is to perceive Short-term goal. The requirement of the Armed Forces is ‘Leader of Crisis-Problem Solver’ and not a ‘Manager-Crisis Preventer’.
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