Characterization and Gender Norms of Thematic Apperception Test Narratives

Abstract

This thesis investigates the representation of gender norms within Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) narratives through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The TAT, developed by Christiana D. Morgan and Henry A. Murray in the 1940s prompts respondents to create stories based on ambiguous images, to reveal their supposed subconscious motives and desires. Utilizing an archival corpus of 1,340 narratives from the 1940s to the 1960s, this study applies CDA to analyze how language and narrative structures reflect societal gender norms. The methodology integrates both qualitative and quantitative approaches, providing insights into how respondents’ stories construct and perpetuate gender normativity. By focusing on narrative discourse, this research sheds light on the ways historical contexts and cultural practices influences the constitution of gender. In addition to the archival study of gender constitution, the research discusses how ChatGPT constructs gendered characters using our current discourse.