CAT and Erikson

CAT and Erikson

The CAT is a term short for the Children’s Apperception Test.   The CAT is a personality test whose main aim is to determine the trait’s in a child’s personality, psychodynamic processes and outlooks to particular situations.   This is done by showing a child series of pictures (the stimuli) which the child has to interpret.  
The pictures of the CAT are not in colour format so that the colours do not attract the child’s attention, but rather the situation presented.   In this case, the CAT was used differently as only one picture was chosen for analysis out of the ten that are normally used.   This test was used in order to measure the element of Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt, as issued by Eric Erikson’s Psychosocial work, as well as Sigmund Freud’s Anal Stage in his Psychosexual theories.  
These interpretations require imagination which in turn involves the combination of memories and experiences into complex mental images that may differ from the actual reality of the child's past or present. During childhood, imagination is seen to be at its most active and evident stage.
The CAT also works by projection.   Projection is the conveying of emotions, feelings, and ideas to the audience unconsciously or consciously.  
Imagination can be considered as a form of creative expression of the child's individuality and is seen as a healthy mental function. It enables the child to express himself/herself in a unique and unrestricted way. For some children, imagination is a possibility to escape from reality, especially from any school and home problems but they still use their imagination to alter reality in another form which they somehow show in a creative manner. This in fact is what CAT does. The more imaginative a child is, the more ideas he/she would have to use in pretend and fantasy scenarios.
Cognitive psychologists see imagination as a significant topic for research. This is because a child's imagination shows the underlying emotions,...