RAP - Coding Help

Virtual Psychology


Form Quality

An index of perceptual accuracy. Indicate how good is the fitness between the area of the blot being used and the form requirements of the object specified.

There is a 4 points scale to differentiate levels of adequacy:

+
 (Superior)

Good and extensively detailed articulation of form.
Enrichment by over-elaboration of the form features.
Need not be original.
Need to be with specified and defined details.

o
 (Ordinary)

Obvious and easy use of form features to define an object reported frequently by others.
The answer is common and easy to see. 

U
 (Unusual)

Low frequency response in which the basic contours are not significantly violated.
Uncommon answers that are seen quickly and easily by the observer, as they fit the contours that are used. 

-
 (Minus)

Distorted and arbitrary use of form.
The response is imposed on the blot structure with total or near total disregard for the contours.
The overall fit tends to violate the contours considerably.
Often, substantial arbitrary contours will be created where none exists. 

 

To score, first look at the card in the Cards Location & Form Quality table. It provides a figure of common location areas for this card. Click on the W (if it is a 'whole' response), or on the specific area (of a 'detail' response) to open a pop-up list of common responses to this area and their associated form quality codes.

For some responses direction marks (< V >) have been included before the form quality code. They indicate the direction of the top of the blot. If no such mark appears next to an item, it signifies that the FQ coding listed is appropriate only when the top of the card is viewed in an upright position.

If the response is listed as ordinary, the coding for the form quality must be o or +. 

Most of these responses will be coded o as the frequency of + is low.

In + responses, there is an articulation of many form details than is common.

+ responses contain more form articulation, they may or may not be lengthy or creative.

The distinction between o and + involves the coder subjective judgment.

If the response is unique and not listed, a judgmental call is required.  

If the response can be seen quickly and easily, and does not violate the blot contours significantly, it should be coded u. Otherwise, -. 

Generally, if an item is not included in the Cards Location & form Quality table list, it might indicate a - response, but a judgmental call is required. 

As a rule of thumb, it is best to code questionable responses as -.

However, the examiner should make an extrapolation from the table list before reaching that decision. Extrapolation, by searching the listing in the table for similar responses.    

For example, some people exclude areas D10 when giving the bat or butterfly responses to card V.  Even tough only W is an o in the table list, by extrapolation o should be assign because the excluded are is minor.

At times the reported object will have only remote similarity to items listed. In this case it is best to apply the rules of u versus - (seen quickly and easily? does violate contours significantly?)


Multiple Object responses:

As a rule, when multiple form quality exists in the same response, the "lowest" form quality is assigned for the entire response.

However, this rule is applied only to objects that are important to the overall response.  If a relatively unimportant object has a listed lower form quality then the other objects, the higher form quality is assigned.

For example: Card III "2 people (D9) bending over looking at some lungs (D7)" = -

"2 people (D9) dancing around this thing in the center(D7), maybe a drum (u)"
= o  (the drum is added somewhat casually - maybe a drum)

Another example, on card X when describing several insects or underwater creatures, most of which are listed as o, included one that list as u or -.  If this one is not critical to the overall response, the coding should be o.