Projective Techniques

 

Projective techniques:  Projective techniques presume that respondents cannot or will not communicate their feelings and beliefs directly. Instead, respondents are encouraged to respond indirectly by projecting their own feelings and beliefs into the situation as they interpret the behaviour of others. The most common projective techniques are:-

Thematic apperception tests Respondents are presented with a series of pictures or cartoons in which consumers and products are featured. Participants are asked to study the situation depicted and to comment on what is happening or what might happen next. In this way, respondents are encouraged to project their own feelings and beliefs onto the situation portrayed in the pictures or cartoons. The term thematic apperception test is used because themes (thematic) are elicited based on the perceptual-interpretive (apperception) use of pictures and cartoons.

Word association Respondents are presented with a series of words, one at a time, and asked to indicate what word comes immediately to mind. The respondent's response and time to respond are recorded. Elapsed time and associations are the key measures. Word association is commonly used in the testing of brand names.

Sentence completion Sentence completion tests are similar to word association. Respondents are asked to conclude a number of incomplete sentences with the first word or phrase that comes to mind. Responses are then analysed for content and meaning.

Scenario/story completion Respondents are asked to complete the end of a story or supply the motive for why one or more actors in a story behaved as they did.

Third person/role playing Respondents are presented with a visual or verbal situation in which they are asked to relate the feelings and beliefs of a third person - for example, a friend, neighbour, another farmer or ‘typical’ person - to the situation, rather than to directly express their own feeling/beliefs about the situation. In this way the individual reveals his/her own inner most feelings, attitudes and motives.