NCJ Number
67645
Journal
ART PSYCHOTHERAPY Volume: 3 Dated: (1976) Pages: 145-155
Date Published
1976
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE VALIDITY OF THE LUESCHER COLOR TEST AS AN INSTRUMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN BEHAVIORALLY DIVERGENT GROUPS IS INVESTIGATED FROM A FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST'S PERSPECTIVE.
Abstract
THIS ARTICLE ANALYZES A PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST, BASED ON THE LUESCHER COLOR THEORY AND WIDELY RESEARCHED IN EUROPE, WHICH HAS MET WITH CRITICISM AND OUTRIGHT REJECTION IN UNITED STATES SCIENTIFIC CIRCLES. AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF A STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW OF COLOR PSYCHOLOGY IN GENERAL AND THE LUESCHER COLOR TEST IN PARTICULAR, THIS REPORT ARGUES IN FAVOR OF THE LUESCHER COLOR TEST AS A PROJECTIVE INSTRUMENT, WHICH REQUIRES A SHORT ADMINISTRATION TIME AND HAS SHOWN ENCOURAGING RESULTS. IN EMPLOYING THE LUESCHER COLOR TEST, RESEARCHERS DERIVED SEVEN MAJOR HYPOTHESES FROM LUESCHER COLOR PSYCHOLOGY. THE TEST WAS THEN ADMINISTERED UNDER STANDARD INSTRUCTIONS TO TWO SAMPLES OF SUBJECTS, PRESUMED TO BE PSYCHOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF DEMONSTRATED VARIATIONS IN BEHAVIOR. THE CIVILIAN SAMPLE COMPRISED 329 MALE UNDERGRADUATE PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS, ATTENDING EVENING CLASSES AND WORKING DURING THE DAY AT VARIOUS FULL-TIME OCCUPATIONS. THE CRIMINAL SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 286 MALE PRISON INMATES, INCARCERATED FOR OFFENSES RANGING FROM LARCENY TO MURDER IN MEDIUMSECURITY TO MINIMUM-SECURITY CORRECTIONS, NONE OF WHOM REQUIRED MAXIMUM SUPERVISION AND CONTROL. TEST SCORES POINTED TO VALIDATION OF SIX OF THE SEVEN BASIC HYPOTHESES. CIVILIANS AND INMATES CLEARLY DIFFERED IN THEIR COLOR PERFORMANCES ON THE LUESCHER COLOR TEST, THEREBY GIVING THE THEORY FURTHER EMPIRICAL SUPPORT. THE RESULTS OBTAINED JUSTIFY FURTHER LUESCHER COLOR THEORY RESEARCH AND THE LUESCHER COLOR TEST ITSELF. ALSO, THEY SUPPORT COLOR PREFERENCES AND USAGE CAN BE MEANINGFULLY EMPLOYED AS A DIAGNOSTIC PERSONALITY AID. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED IN THE TEXT, AND 26 REFERENCES ARE GIVEN.