Sorting and Arranging Ktsa Objects According to Emotional Category and Preference under Simulated “Psychosis”

Abstract

The KTSA was administered to two groups of Ss, first under normal conditions and then by asking them to simulate “psychosis,” or vice versa. Simulation of “psychosis” led to an increased number of objects being placed in the negative categories of HATE, BAD, and DEAD and a decreased number in the positive categories of LOVE, GOOD, and LIVING. Under the normal and “psychotic” sets no change was shown for “preferred” objects, but change was obvious for “non-preferred” objects. Constriction of responses was evident for Ss first tested as “psychotic” and then as normal, which suggests threatened perception of the psychotic situation. A similar threat did not appear when the S took the KTSA as a “psychotic” after having first taken it as a normal. The reader is cautioned against extrapolating these findings to those expected from actual malingerers since the motivation of these simulators of psychosis may be different from that of actual malingerers.