Deep Psychological Testing

by Alex
(Bristol, England)

Not sure if this is the right place to answer a question like this but either way I appreciate your time.

First a little context :)


I’m an aspiring screenwriter currently writing what I hope, in the long term, to be a deep psychological thriller.

A man wakes up in an interrogation room. A camera pointed directly at him. A voice on a speaker booms at him in a deep, distorted voice. A puzzle. A mental agility test. He comes to find that he is trapped within a labyrinthine network of identical interrogation rooms, each with its own speaker and puzzle.

And here comes the enquiry :)

I’m looking for books/texts that deal with the more lateral side of psychological tests. To illustrate what I mean, a few years ago I read a psychological test to do with dark woods.

The psychologist would describe a cryptic, surreal scene and at certain junctures ask the patient to make a choice. The patient closes his/her eyes. A wood is described. The patient is asked ‘Is the wood light or dark? Dark implies pessimism. Light, optimism. And so on and so forth.

In the movie Blade Runner (forgive the tangent) an interrogator describes a turtle flailing on his back to test if a subject is human. The implication being non-human would watch with fascination whilst Humanity’s natural reaction is to come to its aid.

I’m also looking for some kind of test that establishes identity. So say a character has a select number of questions to ask a gagged victim. The victim can only nod or shake their head. The character must discern their name in those select questions with only yes or no responses. What does he ask?

I’m particularly looking for those type of tests. If I’m totally honest, I’m looking for the kind of ‘cool’ tests that tell us so much in a deep, psychological way and translate well to a dark psychological thriller. I admit this will probably be a sort of dramatic, movie-psychology as opposed to the real psychology that you no doubt encounter everyday and so I understand if you can’t or won’t help. I know how annoying Hollywood dramatization and inaccuracies can be to actual experts.

But if you have suggestions of literature or better yet any tests come to mind yourself I’d appreciate the help. I’m even looking at lateral thinking puzzles that have a psychological undertone. Basically anything or any suggestions you have that fits the tone.

If not, then thanks for reading this admittedly verbose request. And take care.

Regards


Alex