In this article, we delve into the intricacies of the WAT, Historical Perspective, Methodology for Conduct of Test, Psychologist Interpretation of Words, Instructions to attempt and Common Myths. 

Introduction.   It is a test of personality and mental function. It is confirmatory test confirming the behavior and the qualities (OLQs) shown by the candidate during

Word Association Test (WAT).

Psychological assessments are crucial in determining an individual's suitability for various roles and responsibilities. One such assessment, the Word Association Test (WAT), serves as a window into an individual's personality and mental functioning.

Historical Perspective.    It is test of imagination to assess the personality and psychologist come to certain conclusion about candidates’ personality. it first used by famous psychologist Galton in 1879 and later continued by Freud and Jung.

Methodology Adopted – Conduct of Test

Sequential Word Display.    In this test, there is a sequential word display of 60 words, one after the other in the screen. Each word is shown for 15 seconds and after seeing the word, what thoughts, ideas come to one’s mind, one has to write a meaningful sentence using that word shown to him directly or indirectly about those ideas in the answer book. 

Expression of Idea associated with the word.   With each displayed word, candidates must write a short sentence. The idea or the thoughts associated with the word can be expressed in just a phrase, group of words, simple sentence or in rare case in one word.

Time Constraint.   Each word is displayed for a time duration of 15 seconds, followed by a buzzer and new word props in your screen.

Words to be Attempted.   Candidate are required to attempt all words but at least 45 out of 60 words should be attempted. However, there is no such limit.

Psychologist’s Interpretation

Selection of Words.    Words are not just taken at random. these are specially selected and arranged in particular sequence / pattern. 60 words which are selected are on the basis of 15 words from each of the four factors of OLQ. 

Psychologist Assessment.    Psychologist gets a fair idea about the candidate’s personality i.e., his likes / dislikes, strong/ weak points, achievements, sentiments, emotional attitude and temperamental make-up. Reaction of each candidate is peculiar to himself as influenced by his environments.

General Instructions

Serial Number.    Write reactions against the Serial Number Only. You may leave blank space if cannot think. Don’t write the word again.

Underline the Word.     After seeing the word, write the sentence directly but underline the original word, original word need not to be written.

Memorised Responses.    Candidates are Warned not to memorise readymade sentences or reactions, which will harm them rather than do any good.

Attempt All.    Try to attempt and write sentences for all words. Do not escape any word

Framing Sentences – Do’s.    Try to make sentences in form of 15 different OLQs which are the military traits required for an Officer and what is psychologist looking in your personality to recommend you.

·        Personal Values.   Reflect your value system and beliefs in your sentences.

·        Scientific & Current Affairs.   Incorporate recent happenings for factual statements.

·        Social Quotient and Responsibility. 

·        Positive Framing.  Positive framing involves rephrasing or reframing a negative word or concept into a positive one. By employing positive framing techniques, you can showcase your ability to find the silver lining in any situation, demonstrating optimism and resilience.  For example, if the word “failure” is given, you can reframe it as “opportunity to learn and grow.”

Framing Sentences – Don’ts. 

·        Borrowed Ideas.   Proverbs, idioms, quotations in which the word has been used.

·        Moralistic Statements.   Stay away from preachy sentences.

·        Negativity.    Avoid negative sentences or anti-Social statements.

·        Modal Verbs.  Conditional Words.  Should, can, could, may, might, must, etc .

·        Imperative sentences.   Orders, instructions, suggestions like be this, be that, do this, do that etc.

·        Avoid any overwriting/cuttings.

Framing Sentences – Myths.

Military Response to Words.   Candidates often misinterpret that associating every word with an army career will guarantee success. In reality, the goal is to respond in a manner that showcases all aspects of your personality in form of OLQs.

Exact Word.    Word has to be used in the sentence. You may use the same word in original form or any of its derivatives ie noun, verb, adjective or adverb. eg: success may be used as successful / succeeded / successfully or replace happiness for pleasure.

Does Practice Helps.     Yes, it certainly does. Practice is the key to success in any competitive exam. Apart from gaining confidence & becoming more comfortable, it helps in gaining speed in thinking and writing. It helps you to follow instruction and avoid pitfalls.

Blanks or Unanswered Words.   If few blanks are left, its Ok. But there are large number of blanks, it reflects that candidate has slow thought process. Second, the psychologist also checks, which words have been left blank and draw conclusion to your personality traits.

Conclusion.     The WAT is not just a test of framing sentences; it’s a mirror reflecting an individual's character & psychological makeup. Aspirants should approach it with authenticity and a genuine reflection of their traits.

To summarize, taking a positive interpretation approach can have a huge impact on how we see and respond to many events in life. By viewing obstacles as opportunities, failures as learning experiences, and differences as potential for progress, we can establish a mindset that promotes resilience, optimism, and personal development. Embracing positivity in our interpretations not only improves our mental health, but it also enables us to negotiate life’s ups and downs with poise and optimism.