主题观察测试是一项由一系列模棱两可的图片组成的心理测试。受试者本来应该说出他们认为在图片中发生的事情。由于图片没有明确的故事，因此主题提供了故事。故事讲述了讲故事的人，而不是图片。
(The Thematic Apperception Test was a psychological test that consisted of a series of ambiguous pictures. Subjects were supposed to tell what they thought was happening in the pictures. Since no clear story was implied by the pictures, the subjects supplied the stories. And the stories told much more about the storytellers than about the pictures.)