AN EMPIRICAL LOOK AT THE DEFENSE-MECHANISM TEST (DMT) - STIMULUS EFFECTS

Based on a sample of non-clinical subjects (N = 74) the study examines the Defence Mechanism Test (DMT) by focusing on when perceptual disto rtions, called 'signs of defence' in DMT terminology, occur (distribut ion in exposure duration), which part of the picture is involved (dist ribution in localisation), and which 'signs' go together (using correl ation and factor analyses). The results disclosed that the occurrence of perceptual distortions ('signs of defence') was related to exposure duration (some 'defences' are more frequent at brief exposures, some others at longer exposure durations), and to localisation on the pictu re. The location of misperceptions to the central person (hero) or the peripheral person (pp) of the picture was the major explanatory princ iple for the distribution of 'signs' on factors. Rather than capturing psychodynamic defence mechanisms, which is the theoretical basis of t he test, the analyses imply that the DMT seems to measure misperceptio ns which are a function of the localisation of persons on the stimulus picture and of exposure durations.