,,

l _,

(PRESS)

TAT
(Thematic Apperception Test)
♦ Press of Deprivation
► p-Acquisition
► p-Retention

by ♦ Press Descriptive of an Empty, Alien, or Rejecting

HENRY MURRAY Environment
(NEEDS) ► p-Lack

♦ Needs motivated by a Desire for (Power, Property, Prestige, ► p-Loss

► p-lujection
Knowledge, or Creative Achievement)
► p-Uncongenial Environment
► n-Achievement
► n-Acquisition
► n-Aggression ♦ Press of Coercion and Restraint
► n-Construction ► p-DomJnance
► n-Counteraction ► p-1,nposed Task, Duty, Training
► n-Dominance
► n-Exposition ♦ P_reH Descriptive of a Hostile Aggressive Environment
► n-Recognition
► p-Aggrasion
► n- Understandlng

♦ Press of Danger, Injury, Death

♦ Needs motivated by Affection, Admiration, Sympathy, Love ► p-A./fliction
and Dependence ► p-Dealh of Hero/Heroine
► n-Affiliation ► p-Physical Danger
► n-Deference ► p-Physical Injury
► n-Nurturance
► n-Sex
♦ Press of FrlendlJnas, Sympathy, Dependence, Love
► n-Succorance
► p-Affeiction
► p-lkfenn«
♦ Needs motivated by a Desire for (Freedom, Change, ► p-Nurturance
Excitement, and Play)
► n-Autonomy ♦ Miscellaneous Press
► n-Excitance ► p-Blrtlt of Offspring
► n-Play ► p-Qaustrum
► p-Cogniu,nce
♦ MiJceUaoeous Needs ► p-Example
► p-Exposition
► p-LMck
 INl'BRPRBTATION GUIDELINE FOR TAT

A Needs motivgted bv desire for Power, Prop1trty, Prestige . Knowledge, or Crealive

Achievement

I . n Achi~~m~nl To work toward a goal with energy. pcr.iistcncc. and singleness or

purpose. To set high standards for oneself and work independently toward
realizing these standards. To overcome obstacles or master and manipulate
objects, situations, or people. To accomplish or work persistently at a difficul t
task. To be ambitious, competitive, aspirinR,

"After practicing every day for weeks, he finally feels that he is

sufficiently skilled to play his first concert perfonnance. His performance is a
tremendous success and is the beginning of a brilliant career."

2. n Acquisition

a. Social To work for money, material possessions, or valuable objects. A desire

for economic mobility. To bargain or gamble. Greed or acquisitiveness.

"She worked hard over a period of many years so she could eventually
purchase a vacation home on the beach."

b. Asocial To steal, cheat, rob, forage, or swindle. Greed, which, in order to

accomplish its goal, causes hann to others or involves breaking some
ethical principle or law. The desired goal may be money, an object, or
even a person. (e.g. during a kidnapping)

'' As a young man, he would break into neighbors· home to steal guns, money.
or any other valuables he could find."

3. n Aggression

a. Emotional, Verbal To have a verbal fight or argument with another person. To

become angry at, ridicule, blame, criticize, or curse. This may be
expressed publicly by a speech or in writing.

"ln the middle of the conversation, she jumped up angrily and shouted her
defiance at her political opponent.

b. Physical, Social To kill or defend oneself in self-defense. To avenge an attack

that was wiwarranted and unprovoked. To defend one's country, for
example, during war or to become physically aggressive while upholding
the law. Activity that is revolutionary may be on the threshold between (b)
social and (c) asocial.
 a bysta nder j 11111peJ
"/\Ile r the thief 1111d stoh.:n the little old lady 's purse .
. ''
on the o ffrnd er and held him duwn until the polic e came
or moral stand ard or _
c. Physi cal, Asoc iql Aggr essio n again st some legal nal activi ty. To light
expre ssed witho ut being provo ked, such as in crimi
empl oyer, scho_ol
legal autho rities or autho rity figure s (pare nts. polic e,
ss sadis tic behav ior.
princ ipal). To initia te a brawl , turn traito r, or expre
his rden tless
•· Once his victim was chain ed to the fl oor, he began
progr am of torture and unnat ural ac ts.,.

h, vanda lize, or burn.

d. Destr uctio n To attack or maim . To destro y, smas
gans appro ached
" When the polic e were at a safe distan ce, the youn g hooli
up an incred ible amo unt
their objec t of destru ction only a fter havin g built
of ramm ing speed ."
thing in a new order.
4. 11 Co1utructio11 To organ ize. build , create . o r place some
s and h.im. anJ
"She event ually return s to the farm and repai rs the fence
s plant ing."
organ izes the mach inery in prepa ration for next year'
e or disap point ment . To
5. n Counteractio11 To make up for a previ ous failur
tion to overc ome. N
overc ompe nsate for a weak ness or to have a deter mina
e or humi liatio n. To
Coun terac tion defen ds on a respo nse to a previ ous failur
determ int:d. indom itablt::.
expre ss fear or keep one 's self-respect. To be resolu te,
earlie r diffic ult situat io n.
daunt less, dogg ed, or adven turou s as a reacti on to an
he began pract icing
" His stutte ring had emba rrasse d him so stron gly that
every day to speak clearl y, with stren gth and digni ty."

huma n envir onme nt. This may

6. 11 Dom inanc e To contr ol, influe nce, or direc t one's
decis ive, or autho ritati ve.
invol ve being force ful, persu asive. assertive. maste rful,
e, restra i n. ·pro hihit .
To preva il upon, sway , lead. judge. set stand ards, induc
manage, o r gover n.
was comp letel y unde r
''The hypn otic induc tion procl!eded until the subji::ct
the hypno tist's contr ol. "

or infomuniv«! mann l:r. To

7. n Expo sition To relate infor matio n in an instru ctive
g so111cthing to tmoth cr
expla in, lectur e, interp ret, instru ct, teuch . Mere ly tellin
to score n Expo sition . It is
perso n in a casua l or routin e mann er is not suffic ient
or n Achi evt;m cnt.
comm only fused with n Domi nance, n Reco gnitio n.
am kept her stude nts
I " Her elabo ration on the intric acies o f the space progr
writin g page after page of notes ."

f 8. 11 Recog11itio11 To seek prais e, prest ige, appre ciatio

n, o r atten tion. Maki ng ones elf
'
 conspicuous; dramatizing or performing. To boast or brag. The examiner should
ask him- or herself whether the hero/heroine's main motive is getting something
done, in which case it would be scored as n Achievement, or actually being
noticed. ,

"After singing a few more songs and throwing down two or more shots of
Whiskey, he began dancing on tahlcs as the audience:.: stared in disbclicf."

9. n U11derstandi11g Striving for knowledge and wisdom. To attempt to understand

the relationship between one object or event and another. Discussion and
argumentation with the goal directed toward increasing knowledge. Attempting
to make thought correspond with fact. To analyze events and generalize.

"The boy was carefully considering everything his music instructor had
told him in an attempt to conceptualize how his violin worked."

B. Needs Motivated by Affectio11, A,lmiratio11, Svmpatln1, Love, a11d Dependence

I . n Afjiliatio11

a. Associative To establish friendly relations. This may be focal, in which case the
need is directed toward affectionate feelings for specific people. It may
also be diffuse, in which case the felling is directed toward all sorts of
people, such as groups or organizations.

"As they saw more of one another, their friendship grew progressively
stronger. After the church services, he usually felt a stronger bond with
all members of her community."

b. Emoliol)ai Feelings of strong attachment, closes, affection, or respect toward

another person. This may include getting married, remaining
faithful, or falling in love.

"Although the strength of their marriage was tested once again, the
difficulty only brought them closer than they had ever been before."

2. n Defere11ce
a. Compliance Quick to agree or cooperate. To obey the wishes or suggestions of
another person. A willingness to please or follow another's leadership. It
may be necessary at times to distinguish n Deference from n Abasement,
in which there is compliance but it is unwilling.

"Since he had been requested sincerely to help, Jim agreed to help with
the work until it was completed."

b. Respect To give praise to or express admiration toward. Hero worship or the ac-
knowledgement of merit or talent. Dedication to a cause.
 "Awe for his virtuosity was continually supported each time the masll:r
Gave another performance."

3. " Nurtura11ce To give sympathy to or gratify the needs of' another. To help. li:ed.
support, console, protect, or comfort those who arc in need. Kindness,
considcrution, protection. To cncourugc and further lhc wel l'are ol' tlwse who an:
helplt!ss. This may include being liberal with time, energy, or mont:y, as a means
of helping others. Giving freedom, condoning, or being lenient.

"The man helped the lost child to find her parents and provided her
with food until they came."

4. 11 Sex To have or attempt to have a sexual relationship. To make sexual advances

toward or seduce. Enjoying the company of members of the opposite sex, being
fond of mixed parties and dancing. To fall in love. This may c0mmonly be fused
with n Affiliation (emotional) or, of not fused, should be distinguished from n
Affiliation (emotional)

"After cleverly slipping him an aphrodisiac while he was in the

Presence of a small amount of kryptonite, Lois Lane was able to steal
his virginity."

5. 11 Succora11ce A tendency to cry, plead, ask for help, aid. protection, or love. Oeing
dependent, helpless, and perhaps capitalizing on one's mishaps. To crave
affection or tenderness and accept favors without hesitation. To have a close and
devoted protector or supporter. Seeking to be nursed, supported, sustained,
advised, guided, indulged, forgiven, or consoled. Someone with an n Nurturance
satisfies the hero/heroine's succorance, although intranurturance may also be
evident in an individual who derives some enjoyment as a result of his or her grief
or seeks consolation through drugs, alcohol, or food.

"All the other kittens in the little had been eaten by a Doberman
Pinscher so the girl took home the one survivor and slowly nursed it
back to health."

C. Needs Motivated bv a Desire for Freedom, Change, Exciteme11t, a11d Play

I. 11 A uto11omy

a. Freedom To escape, shake off restraint, or become independent. To be

unattached or unrestrained. To avoid all encumbering alliances or
terminate a confining relationship. To wander, drop out, lt:ave school
break off a relationship. To fight or argut! for liberty in a positive way.
Determination to remain independent

"Finally, after arguments and much confusion, he decided that ht:

 IJ (rr I a 'j,:,.,,:;r flr, , ·,• ,r'/ ~-,- ., - c• , •.r" 1) ,, ,,,.,.,, , 1 c ,1c:.v-> /o ,· c'5 ()/" t H>.'CI ~, fv o1.1J r,.':-
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1r,,/l, c-vL ,nori",I

needed more time to be alone, so he ended the relationship ."

b. Resistance To refuse to comply wiht the demands of another. Negativism and

defiance. Resistance toward coercion. To be "stubborn as a mule," to be
obstinate, to disobey one's parents, or to present revolutionary ideas.
Typically, a revolutionary will be scored on n Autonomy (a-c)

"AJI the prisoners went on a hunger strike to protest their living

conditions."

c. Asocial To express behavior that is not allowed and is punishable. Behavior that
is disorderly, unruly, and counter to moral or social standards. Lying,
cheating, whoring, stealing, drinking. Crimes other than stealing since
stealing would be classified under n Acquisition

"Then, as soon as the substitute teacher turned her back, the entire
class assailed her with spitballs."
') ( N)1~c.. n ccd5 k) t ho "'q <, tn,.vd , GI OIVC.l'\!vlC
3. n Excitance, Dissipation To act in a way that creates emotional excitement. This
may involve travel (n Change), gambling (n Acquisition), involvement with drugs
or alcohol (n Nurturance), or recklessly meeting danger. What distinguishes n
r Excitance, Dissipation from such needs as n Change or n Acquisition is its
Emphasis on emotional excitement, although these needs are frequently fused.

"While in the police department, she volunteered to work on the

'wrong side of the tracks' hoping that there would be more action."
t 4. n play To cat for "fun" and without a purpose other than amusement. To laugh,
make jokes, play games, be jolly, merry, and easygoing. This may include sports,
dancing, drinking, clowing, or make-believe activity. Meeting situations in a
lighthearted and jovial manner. However, in those cases in which the game is
taken seriously, such as in athletic competition, a score is given for n
Achievement father than n Play.

"These girls are playing hide-and-seek and soon the one behind the
tree is going out to look for her sister, who is looking for a hiding
place."

D. Miscel/a11eous Needs

I. 11 Abasement To submit passively to an external force. To accept injury, blame,

criticism, punishment, or to feel guilt or inferiority. To adopt an attitude that is
passive, humble, meek, servile. Registration or shame. To endure ordeals without
attempting to counteract. Common fusions are with n Succorance, n Deference, or
n Sex as in the case of masochism.

"After they were caught red-handed in the act. they wer~ sent io a
 reform school where they willingly submitted to numerous
restrictions."

2. n Blame AvQjdance To act in such a way as to avoid blame or rejection. To fear

reproach; to inhibit one's asocial impulses. To avoid blame or punishment by
refraining from misbehavior. To confess, apologize, atone, or repent in order to
avoid more blame. This may involve being conventional, remorseful, apologetic
dutiful, or conscientious.

"After lashing out in anger, he begged her forgiveness and explained that
it would never happen again."

3. n Cognizance To express curiosity, search, investigate, explore, or act as a

detective. To watch or gaze intently. Voyeurism. To ask questions, satisfy one's
curiosity, look, listen, inspect. To read and seek knowledge. Common fusions
occur with n Understanding, n Change (travel, etc.) or n Achievement.

"After opening the door and carefully observing every action they
performed, she took another step forward to get an even better look.•·

4. n Harm Avoidance To avoid physical pain, withdraw, flee, or conceal oneself from
persons or objects who are attempting to inflict injury. This includes "startle" and
"fear" reactions to such things as loud noises, loss of support, or the sudden
appearance of strangers. To escape from a dangerous situation. To take
precautionary measures. To be fearful, anxious, timid, cautions, wary, prudent,
vigilant. To run away when chased by a dangerous animal or enemy. However, if ;
the hero/heroine purposefully places him- or herself in a situation of danger, even
if he or she takes precautionary measures to avoid being killed or injured, this
should not be scored as n Harm Avoidance but rather as n Excitance, Dissipation.

"The settlers immediately began to build a fort in order to protect

themselves from roving bands of savages."

5. n Passivity to seek or enjoy quiet, rest, tranquility, peacefulness. To feel tired,

apathetic, lazy. To need quiet contemplation, mediation, or reflection.

" After traveling to foreign lands, the monk longed for the quiet and
solitude of his monastery."

6. 11 rejectio11 To snub, ignore, or exclude others. To remain aloof and indifferent, or

be discriminating in accepting others. To exclude, abandon, expel, or criticize.
To demand a high standard of ability, intelligence, wit, or imagination. To reject
a suitor, break with a friend, or withhold love. This is commonly fused with n
Passivity or n Aggression. N Rejection may also become directed inward, thus
becoming fused with n Abasement, perhaps resulting in feelings of depression
or suicidal ideation.

"The head of committee scorned every attempt that Tim made to become a
 member of the club, and, as a
result , his application had alread
turned do wn three times." y been

7. n Retention ' To hold on to

something, refuse to lend; to
and unwilling to give time, ene be possessive, miserly,
rgy, and affection to others. To
collect object, or another person hoard or
. with possess love.
"T his dragon up at the top has
a huge treasure he 's protectin
traveler pass by, he takes their g, an d if any
money and spends the rest of
devising ho w he will arrange the time
it inside his cav e."
8. 11 Scie11ce To seek and enj
oy sensuous impressions. To
perceptions. To perceive and have delicate, sen siti ve
com me nt upon the sensuous qua
To remark upon the atmospher lity of ob jec ts.
e, temperature, colors in the roO
various sounds , tastes, or odo Jll, pictures,
rs. A genuine delight in on e or
Ma y be fused with n Sex (eroti mo re of the arts.
c sen tie nce ), n Construction
com po siti on or creativity), or (en joy ing
n Recognition (performing in
public).
"A s soo n As the feast wa s lai
d ou t on the table, the gu est s
indulge in the culinary deligh sat do wn to
ts."

Th e fol low ing s list de scr ibe s

the mo st frequently en co un ter
Th es e ca n ea ch be sco red in ed inn er sta tes .
the sa me wa y as needs;
l. Conflict A state in wh ich tw
o inn er forces are pu llin g aga
un cer tai nty , ind eci sio n. Th is ins t on e ano the r;
ma y also include the con flic t
nee ds. cre ate d by tw o op po sin g

2. Emotional Change To sho

w an alteration in mo od or att
or som eon e. To be labile, inc itude tow ard som eth ing
onsistent, mo od y, or un sta ble
.
3. Elation Ha pp ine ss, joy ful ent hu sia sm
ou tlo ok . , op tim ism , exc ite me nt, a po
sit ive

4. Deiection Disappointment
.. dis cou rag em ent , sad nes s, dep
des pai r. res sio n, me lan cho ly, or

5. Distrust To hav e no con fid

enc e in; to be sus pic iou s of;
Re fus ing to acc ep t oth er pe op to be ske pti cal of.
le' s ide as, sug ges tio ns, or adv
oft en be ass oci ate d wi th n Re ice du e to trust. Th is ma y
jec tio n or n Au ton om y.

6. Jea lou sy To be afr aid tha

t a lov ed per son wi ll pre fer or
En vy . Re qu iri ng co mp let e loy lov e an oth er per son .
alt y or faithfulness. Jea lou sy
successful rivals . tow ard mo re fav ore d or
 7. l"ealio1 Visions or hallucinations. Reveries about the future or daydreams about
the past. Entering into a hypotic or dream stntc. An altcrcd state of consciousness.
However, this would not include mythological creatures (dragon, sorceress, unicorn. etc.)
when the story tak~s place in a mythological setting, unless thcn: wru; also an
accompanying altered state existing within the hero/heroine.

8. Ego Ideal, Pride Having a high opinion of one's own st.:lf-worth. To keep 011c·~
self-respect or to dream of a great future in which one will accomplish all one's goals.
This may involve n Counteraction, n Achievement, n Autonomy (defiance), or n
Aggression.

9. Superego To be controlled by a conscience that demands a high moral standard.

The hero/heroine, for example, might be extremely honest, dependable, and courageous,
and express a high degree of integrity. This could be combined with n Achievement
(working for a socially approved ideal), n Blame Avoidance (not succumbing to
temptation), or n Abasement (confessing one's sins or experiencing gujh feelings).

10. Miscellaneous The first nine items represent some of the more common inner
states but cannot describes all the possibilities. Additional inner states can be identified
and listed separately.

Although the following list of press and the scores that can be achieved
by using them provide a certain amount of useful information, the P.Xaminer
is encouraged to consider the unique and specific significance these have for
the subject. For example, if a subject's highest press rating is for p
Dominance, how does he or she characteristically cope with this press? ls it
through rebellion, submission, impulsive acting out, or withdrawal and
fantasy? In particular, does the subject see him- or herself as helplessly
controlled by the forces of fate, or does he or she effective control his or her
environment and significantly affect the outcome of the stories? Thus,
although the totals of the press scores are useful figures in themselves, it is
also up to the examiner to broaden the significance of these totals by
integrating their meaning into the overall story content and context. The
following list can be used as an aid in identifying which press are present in
a subject's stories.

A. Press o[Deprivation

1. p Acquisitio11 A person wants to dispossess the hero/heroine of money or property, to

rob or swindle him or her. For t:xample, a competitor in businc~s threatens thl'
hero heroine's financial security
l ,

"After developing false evidence against him, they hoped that his property
would be turned over to themselves."

2. p Retention Aperson retains something the hero/heroine wants; refu~es to lend or

give something to the hero/heroine; is stingy, miserly, or possessive.

"She had been asking to borrow her father's tools, but her father said
tinnly that since she had not returned them in a timely manner before,
she could not use them again."

B. Press Descriptive o{an Empty, Alien, or Reiecting Environment

l.p Lack
,
a. Things Opportunities, Friends Few desirable objects are in the environment, few
opportunities for enjoyment or advancement, or no jobs. The hero/heroine is poor
and the family destitute, or the hero/heroine lacks status, influence, and/or friends.

"Even though the government was closely in the wrong, every attempt he
made was frustrated by the bureaucrats· keeping a closed mind."

b. Human Support The hero/heroine is miserable, solitary, lu:lpless , and in need of

assistance and support, encouragement, projection, food, medical care, or parental
love and guidance. The hero/heroine has no father or no mother. The situation is
insecure and perilous, or hero/heroine is homesick. There a~e few nurtur.int
people in the hero/heroine's environment. Commonly, fusions occur ·with p Loss,
p Rejection, and n Succorance.

"He's sitting on the outside of his cabin and it's the firs1 day of summer
camp. He misses his mother and father, and realizes that no one in camp
really wants to make friends with him."

2. p Loss This is same as for p lack, except in this case the hero/heroine actually loses
~omething or someone, such as money, job, friend, or opportunity. This may
mclude the loss of a loved one by departure, misfortune, swindling, or robberv. If
the hero/heroine loses something and also experiences a sense of loss over an·
extended period of tine, then a score on p Lack, should also be given.

"With one pronouncement of the judge, the family's entire holdings were
turned over to the government."

3. p Rejection A person re~ects, scorns, loses respect for, repudiates, turns away from, or
leaves the hero/heroine.

"The older man has fallen in love with this woman, and she's explaining
 him in the res t."
tha t she doe s not feel attr acte d to

4. p Un con gen ial En viro nm ent

not to his or her _
her o/h ero ine 's env iron me nt are
a. A lien Ob jec ts · the peo ple in the find s no one in
hy or und ers tan din g. He or she
liki ng; the re is no mu tua l sym pat . but the y
re are peo ple aro und him or her
acc ord wit h his or her inte rest . The rs to the
dis app rov e of him or her . Thi s refe
disl ike , reje ct, dist rus t, acc use , or spe cifi c peo ple
o/h ero ine 's gen era l hum an env iron me nt and not to one or two
her crib ed an
examp le, this ma y be use d to des
wit hin his or her env iron me nt. For t reje cts or is out of
ion or com mu nity tha
ove rall fee ling wit hin an org ani zat
sym pat hy wit h the her o/h ero ine .
t wit hin
for her bel ief, wh ere ver she wen
"Ev en tho ugh she had sto od up d talk ing to her .·•
iou s loo ks and avo ide
the vill age peo ple gav e her sus pic
o~ her phy sica l
l sur rou ndi ngs The her o/h ero ine is diss atis fied wit h hjs
b. Phy sica wh ich he or she
the city , the sea, or the isla nd on
env iron me nt and hat es the farm , bar ren (p Lac k).
dist rus tful , ugl y, sor did , dre ary,
is ma roo ned . The env iron me nt is
noi sy, or dan ger ous .
n't
for two yea rs now, and he stil l has
" He has wo rke d in the gra vey ard
d, ble ak gra ves ton es.
got ten use d to the sig ht of the col
rk is dru dge ry. The re
mu st sub mit to a dul l rou tine ; wo
c. Mo not ony The her o/h ero ine
life, cau sin g bor edo m.
is a gre at "sa me nes s" in his or her
l
the opp res siv e sam ene ss of the coa
" Eve ry day he wor ked stea dily in tine wo rk.
a way to end the rou
min e and still he cou ld clea rly see
nt
C. Pre ss ofCoe rcio n and Res trai

1. p Do min anc e
or she is
n Som eon e trie s to forc e the her o/h ero ine to do som eth ing . He
a. Coe rcio or aut hor ity.
stro ng arg um ent s from a par ent
exp ose d to com ma nds , ord ers, or
at I
he can 't refu se, if you kno w wh
''Th is guy has giv en him an off er
ice."
mea n, and so he has no oth er cho
som eth ing . He or
ven t the her o/h ero ine from doi ng
b. Restrai':'t Som eon e trie s to pre itio ns, or rest rain s.
she ts exp ose d to che cks , pro hib
pat rol
bor der, but eac h timt: the bor<.ler
'He trie d ma ny ~imes to cros~ the
1

k to his ow n cou ntry ."

app reh end ed him and sen t him bac
to do som eth ing t d
t Som eon e •trie s to get the her o/h ero ine . , or o not o
c. Ind uce men b cle ver stra teg y,
thi tle per sua sio n, enc our age me nt,
som e ng, Y ple adm g or by gen
 or seduct ion. In this catego ry, no threats of force are used.

"Whe n she heard what had happe ned, she begged him to stay, appea
ling to
hi~ sense of peace until finally he agreed not to leav~.

2. P Impos ed Task, Duty, Trai11i11g The hero/h eroine is given somet

hing to do; he or she
must practice on the violin, study for an exami nation , accom plish somet
hing to
keep his or her job, or win a reward. If the agent who impos es the
task is namc<l,
then a score is also given top Dominance. (coercion).

"Whe n he receiv ed his draft papers, he knew that he would have to

go
defend his country.
I

D. Press Descriptive o(a Hostile Aggressive Environment

1. p Aggre ssion

a. Emotional, Verbal Someo ne gets angry ay the hero/heroine or

hates him or her. He
or she is cursed , criticized, belittled, reproved, reprim anded , or ridicu
led.
Someo ne slande rs the hero/h eroine behind his or her back.

"They are having a big argum ent now, and he's yellin g and callin g
her
some pretty bad names that I would hate to even admit are in my
vocab ulary."

b. Physical, Social The hero/h eroine is in the wrong and is an aggres

sor or a crimin al.
Anoth er person defend s him- or hersel f, retalia tes, pursue s, impris
ons, or perhap s
kills the hero/h eroine . The state, the police, a parent , or some other legitim
ate
author ity punish es the hero/h eroine for misco nduct.

"Final ly they have enoug h clues to track her down, and then, in the
dead
of night, the police surrou nd her house and prepar e to take her into
custod y."

c. Physical, Asocia l A crimin al or a gang assaul ts, injure s, or kills

the hero/h eroine .
Anoth er person starts a fight and the hero/h eroine defend s him- or
hersel f.
"Then , they took him out back to have him try on a pair of cemen
t shoes
before giving him a swimm ing k sson.

E. Press o{Dan ger, lniury, Death

1. p Afjlictio11

a. Physi cal The hero/h eroine has a physic al handic ap such as a

hunch back, or a chron ic
ailmen t. He or she is taken ill during the course of the story.

I
l
 "The cough sta rted as a short, infrequent hacking and later dcvclopcJ into
a serious case of pneumonia.''

b. Mental The hero/heroine suffers from neurotic or psychotic symptoms. H.: or she is
subject to hallucinations or obsessions, experiences premonitions of insanity, or is .
justifiably considered very strange. '

"Every day she would manicure her front lawn with scissors, and finally
she completely went to pieces when a dog "dirtied" her garden. "

2. p Death ofHero/Heroine This is weighted according to the stress placed on the

event. The hero/heroine may die from physical or mental illness (p Affiiction),
from physical injury, from p Aggression, or may commit suicide [n Abasement
(intra-aggression)].

" He eventually died a grisly death when the dragon ate bim."

3 . p Pltysica/ Danger

a. Active The hero/heroine is exposed to physical danger from nonhuman forms. He or

she is attacked by animals, caught in a storm at sea, hit by a train, or struck by
lightning. He or she is exposed to a tremendous bombardment. The danger may
be as small as a threat, or it may actually injure or kill the hero/heroine.

"The meteor shower assaulted them from all sides so that the captain and
his party just barely escaped with their lives."

b . lnsupport The hero/heroine is exposed to the danger or falling or drowning. His or

her car overturns, his or her ship is wrecked, he or she is caught on the narrow
ledge ofa steep mountain, the ground is insecure.

" As she was climbing, step by step, across the suspension bridge, a ll of a ,, r
sudden two of the boards directly under her broke free."

4. p Pltysical /11jury The hero/heroine in hurt by a hun1an aggressor (p Aggression ); by

a cave-in, collision, or fall (p Physical Danger); or by a wild animal. T he
hero/heroine is mutila ted or disfigured.

"The assassin opened fire and wounded him in the arm."

F. Press o(Friend/iness, Sympathy. Dependence, Love

l . p Affiliatio11

a. Associative The hero/heroine has one or more fri ends or sociable companions; he o r
she is a member of a congenial group.

"The men lay next to one another the warmth o f the d.:iy and the comfo n
 of their friend ship settle into their thoug hts."

b. Emot ional A perso n such as a paren t, sibling, relati ve,

or erotic objec t is devoted to
the hero/h eroine . The hero/ heroi ne has a love affair thal is
~ei.;ipr,. caleu . o r th.:
hero/ heroi ne gets marri ed.

" The story ends whl.!re lhl: y foll in love again a nd end up
gc1ti11g married ."
2 . p Defere11ce

a. Comp liance An indivi dual or a group willin gly follow

s the leade rships or rl.!que sts o f
the hero/ heroi ne. A perso n is anxio us to please him or her.
lo i.;oope rule. o r to
obey. The obedi ence may be passive.

''At his comm and the entire battalion began to pre pare fo r
the next leg o r
their journ ey."

b. Respe ct The hero/ heroi ne is admir ed by an indivi dual or

group . His or her talents or
merit s are appre ciated ; he or she is rewar ded or public ly appla
uded.
" With each deft stroke of his viol in, the audie nce becam e
driven into a
fervo r of awe."

3. p Nurtu rance Some one nouri shes, encou rages , protec

ts, or cases for the
hero/ heroi ne. He or she receiv es symp athy, conso lation ,
pity.
"Fina lly, some body found her in a cornt:r o f the sto re, gave
her some thing
to eat, and helpe d find her pare nts.··

4 . p Sex Anoth er perso n is in love with the h1.!rn/h croinc

, o r hi s or hl.!r affect io ns a n:
engaged by seduc tress/ seduc er. The hero/h eroin e gets mam
ed .
" She move d softly under the candl elight and becam e a v
irtual Aphrodite
to him."

5. p Succo rance Some one seeks aid, protec tion, or symp

athy from the hero/h eroine .
There is a helple ss, miser able, pitifu l, objec t to whom the
hero/ heroi ne reacts .
Some one is rescu ed by the hero/ heroin e.

"The pathe tic and whim perin g puppy soon got Julie to rnkc
it home w ith
her and nurse it back to health ."

G. Misce llane ous Press

1. p Birt/, of Offspri11g A child is born to the hero/ heroi

n~. or a woma n is g,oin g, to have
a baby. The amou nt of weigh t given to this press depen
ds on the re lative
impo rtanc e of the birth to the ove rall :;tory .
 "All the relatives and neighbors came tu sec th~· new baby."

2. p C/austrum The hero/heroine finds him- or herself in a confining space. s uch as a .

solitary hid,eout, house, deep valley, or cave. The hero/heroine might be locked in
his or her room, imprisoned, trapped in a cave-in, or confined in a space such as a
house, vault, or tunnel. The hero/heroine seeks to e mer, tries to break out of, or is
forcibly expelled from, such a place.

"Just when he thought he was going to drown, he was swallowed by a

whale and became safely protected by its insides."

3. p Cogniza11ce Someone is curious about the hero/heroine ,md hi s do ings: the

hero/heroine is watched. Someone peers or probes into his or h..:r :.itfairs. asks
questions.

"I don't 'know exactly why anyone would be so interestad, but every timc
this woman walked into t!1e room, ther.: v. as an eye pec:.-ir.g at her though ;
this knothole."

4.pExample

a. Good Influence A person, group, or case (social ideal, philosophical) influences the
hero/heroine in a constructive way. A ta lented person serves as an example.

"Every time he heard his instructor play in a concert. he was inspired to

practice even harder."

b. Bad Influence The hero/heroine is led into crime by his or her assodates; the level
of the hero/heroine's conduct or his o r her ideals is lowered by following the
suggestions or inducements of an untrustworthy or ir·espons ible pt:rsun.

" When Mel showed him how much money t.•.! could make by sdling
drugs, he soon developed his own connections and networks for
distribution." t'
J

5. p Expositio11 Someone tells, explains, interprets, or teaches the hero/heroine

something.

"After three more classes. che theories of Marx , which haJ previousl y
been so clouded in mystery. were clearly expla ined a nd seemed to make
sense."

6.pLuck

a . Good, Gratuity The hero/heroine is unusua lly privileged; he or she has cvc ry thin!.!. hi..'
or she wants (status, wealth, friends). The hero/ heroine is suddenly bene tite<l -bv
some un~suaJ or unpredicted chance occurrence, or by some extraordinary ,
opporturuty that docs not n:sult from his or her own efforts. Although Lhe
 hero/heroine may be deserving of the good fortune, he or she did not work
directly for it. A benefactor is attracted by the hero/heroine's promise, and his or
her ambitions are aided by another person. which would also involve p
Nurturance.

"Then, while walking down this dusty country road. she found a 50-year-
old two-dollar bill."

b. Bad Fortune i~ against the hero/heroine. He or she is underprivilt:ged from the start.
must endure an extraordinary series of misfortunes. or is suddenly confront1:J by a
chance occurrence that serves to hinder or frustrate his or her efforts. However.
the coercion from such sources as parents or enemies is not considered bad lucks.
In determining whether to score this press, the examiner should question the
extent to which fate, chance, or destiny played a part in the character's life.

"It seemed as if wherever he drilled a well, Don never djscovered oil

despite his considerable expertise." ·