Differences in trait attribution by patient and “normal” groups to line drawings of human facial pictures

Abstract

PROBLEM 6 p ') have employed human facial photographs or drawings as a means of eliciting "projections" by subjects. Campbell and Burwin@) and Bailey and Warshaw ( l ) reported consistent individual differences in trait attribution to human facial photographs and line drawings. Izard(') found that schizophrenics expressed significantly more unfavorable feelings toward pictures than did normals. Differences were also found for individuals within these groups.This study investigated the differences between patient and normal groups in frequency of usage of traits and in preferences for trait poles (affective) when attributed to human facial line drawings. METHODThe Warshaw Character Evaluation Test was administered to 50 patients chosen randomly from the clinic population at the New York Regional OfEce and 50 "normals", equated for age, sex and education, chosen from industrial and school settings. A trait list of 38 items was presented with the test. The directions required the S to assign an affective response to each photograph in terms of like, dislike, or indifferent. Subsequently, the Ss were also required to assign one character trait of the trait list of 38 to each picture. Ss were advised that they could use a particular trait as often as they desired. These traits were presented as single traits but when constructed were developed to contain paired opposites (subsequently referred to as bipolar trait pairs) which were paired for the purpose of scoring and evaluation.The test protocols were scored both absolutely and algebraically. The absolute score was one in which either pole of a trait pair, such as inhibited-impulsive, was scored 1 if assigned to a picture. Failure to use either of these traits was scored 0 for this trait pair. The number of assignments across the 40 pictures of the test yielded a total usage scorfi for the specific trait pair. This score was considered to be a measure of the extent to which a S was concerned or preoccupied with a particular trait pair. The question was whether patients were more preoccupied than normals as reflected in trait attribution (consequently more subjective in judging others) and if so, with respect to which bipolar trait pairs.The algebraic score was one in which a positive or negative score could be recorded for either side of the bipolar trait depending upon the affect (like, dislike, or indifferent) associated with the picture to which the trait was assigned. No value judgments were implied in keying the traits for plus and minus scores. The signs were used merely to indicate the direction of the response. For example, in the case of the trait pair inhibited-impulsive, liking inhibited or disliking impulsive was scored +1, whereas disliking inhibited or liking impulsive was scored -1. Failure to use either of these traits was scored 0 for this trait pair. The algebraic sum across the 40 pictures of the test yielded a total score for the particular trait pair. The algebraic scoring scheme is predicated on the assumption that a liking for one pole of th...