The road not taken… a brief psychological test
Therapeutic Thursday
There was a strange test I remember taking in high school. Actually, my then boyfriend administered it, so you know it was a valuable and accurate psychological tool. In fact, I think we were sitting on the bleachers. I don’t know where he stumbled upon it but I actually thought it was pretty cool. That means that the results were pleasing to me, basically it flattered me. Why else would I like it?
I’m going to try and duplicate the test as best I can by asking you to read the question, then close your eyes, conjure up the first image that pops into your head. (don’t censor yourself) Then, write it down in BRIEF detail. Tomorrow I will disclose what each image represents. It should be fun and maybe a little revealing but nothing that we can’t all laugh about : ) Please don’t google anything about the test. That’s right, I’m talking to you!
Imagine yourself walking down some sort of path or road. Describe what you see.
You come across a key. what does it look like and what do you do with it?
Next you come across a cup or container of some sort. What does it look like and what do you do with it?
You continue down your path and see a structure up ahead (a building or house, etc.) Describe what you see and do.
You continue on your path and come across a bear. What is your feeling, interaction, etc. with this bear?
You arrive at a body of water. It can be anything; a puddle, stream, river, lake, ocean, etc. what is it and what do you do?
Finally, you come to an obstacle on your path. What is it and what do you do?
DISCLAIMER: This may or may not work, but I’m too lazy to change it. Even if you provide only a few answers, it should still be fun. At the very least, we can make fun of it!________________________________________________________________
THE ANSWER GUIDE
1. The PATH represents your life or the course your life is taking. Scenic, Bumpy, hilly, straight, winding, miserable, etc. indicate how you interpret the ease or difficulty in your life.
2. The KEY represents your education. A skeleton key is less practical than a car type key. Keeping it means you find use for your education. If you don’t pick it up or take it with you, obviously you won’t be needing or using it.
3. The CUP symbolizes your family. Do you kick it to the side of the path, take it with you? Is it valuable, cracked, plastic, fine crystal, sturdy, etc.? Do you drink from it? Do you keep it with you? This might indicate that you maintain close ties with your family and you value them.
4. The HOUSE, BUILDING or STRUCTURE represents your mind. Is it a flimsy grass hut, a big expansive building, a warm and cozy house? Do you use your KEY to open the door? Do you linger there? Are you comfortable there?
5. The BEAR is GOD. (Surprise, Pete! lol!) How you feel about the bear indicates your relationship with God. Frightened, calm, friendly, indifferent, angry, etc. Do you stay with him, avoid him, or run from him?
6. The WATER is the symbol for your sex life or SEX in general. Splashing about the puddle, Michael, would indicate a very healthy sex life. Congratulations. As would swimming in the ocean or lake, etc. Anything stagnant, dried up, or avoided is not a particularly good sign! (this can always be remedied!)
7. The OBSTACLE represents all obstacles/problems in your life. What was your obstacle? How did you approach it? Did you panic, master it with ease, contemplate it, turn around and go in another direction, etc? I forgot to ask you what you saw on the other side… this represents how you see your future?
Wooded path.
Large gold key. I hold it and carry it.
Looks like a wooden bowl. I put the key in it and carry the cup.
White house. I go up to it.
Calmness. Show that I’m not threatening.
Ocean. Put my feet in.
Run and jump over it.
I think you’re going to like your results!
The symbols are now in this post. I just edited them in.
You value and are proud of your education – large Gold key
Wooden bowl/ cup – sturdy and useful family, also valued. By placing the key in the cup you may be indicating that you learn things from your family?
White house – white may be significant of goodness, spirituality, etc. You’re comfortable with who you are.
SEX LIFE – Ocean! Good to put your feet in. Very healthy.
You manage your obstacles/ problems with ease.
Awesome! It sounds just like me. Careful, but not too careful.
The highway, but more of a country highway. Yellow fields on either side of me.
Thin, silver skeleton key. Very fancy looking.
A blue plastic cup. Put it in my backpack. I apparently am wearing a backpack.
For some reason I could only imagine a skyscraper in the far distance.
For some reason I also have the urge to run up to the bear and greet it. Make my presence known. I don’t know why because it seems like the opposite of logical.
A concrete drainage ditch, observe it and pass by it.
The only obstacle seems to be how long the path is. I just keep walking.
The symbols are now edited into the post. Nice life path. Sounds peaceful and picturesque. Your education though attractive will probably be slightly impractical for you. The blue plastic cup is your family. By taking it with you, it would seem you value them : )
The skyscraper is your mind. (See Mooselicker’s) Very expansive, intelligent, and can be seen and admired by others. Very cool, indeed. A landmark?
You have a loving, warm, close feeling toward God. This is nice to see. I’m sure you already know this about yourself. (look at Pete’s Bear interaction!)
The concrete drainage ditch is not so great, but like I said, this is a current situation, and can be remedied. You view your life ahead, your future, as your only obstacle. Very interesting, indeed. : )
Very revealing…stay tuned.
A normal street, with lots of lamp posts.
The key is big and silver, I pop it in my pocket.
I came across an empty coke can, I had a quick came of football (soccer) with it.
The building was a large mansion. Obvs some posh bloke lived in there.
I came to the bear and went “BUH!” then stabbed him with the key.
I came to the edge of the ocean, and looked out across the water.
The obstacle is the water so I just sit down and look at the waves 🙂
You stabbed the bear, huh? Very interesting. I’ll be explaining what everything means when I return home from work today. Stay tuned…..
I won’t be surprised if I’m a psychopath. I have a very dark mind haha
Pete, the symbols have now been edited into the post. Take a look. This is how I and others might interpret them.
Life’s course is well traveled, well lit, and familiar. I like that it has lots of light. You have goodness. That’s much better than a dark path.
The coke can is your family. Coke cans are not so precious. You kicked it around and it doesn’t sound like you took it with you? Maybe you have a rough and tumble, gaming sort of relationship with your family OR you don’t have a need for them in your life right now? Only you would know….
The posh bloke that lives in the large mansion is you, well, symbolically. I think you know you’re smart and you like what you offer the world in terms of your quick and sensitive mental capacities. : )
The Bear is God. Apparently you and God don’t get along too well, at least not at this point in your life! haha! Isn’t it interesting that you stabbed (hurt) him with your key which is a symbol of your education….hmmm…?
The ocean you saw and contemplated was your sex life. Looks like you have great potential but at this time did not choose to go in. Like I said, that’s always in flux.
isn’t it funny that the ocean is also your obstacle!!! More contemplation. : )
Yeah I own God! He fears me haha 😀 very interesting analysis, pretty much hit the mark on everything apart from the sex life, I’m very active heh heh heh!
Well, I can’t be 100% accurate all the time! Glad to know everyone is actively engaged in a healthy sex life! : }
I see an empty road on a hill.
Yale key and I put it in my pocket.
It’s a mug and I drink tea from it.
Large white building and go into it.
The bear is passive and I stand there looking at it.
It’s a puddle and I splash around in it.
The obstacle is a fallen tree and I sit on it and have lunch.
Michael, the symbols are now edited into the post for your perusal. I’ll try and interpret as best I can.
The empty road on a hill could mean that your life, at least at this point, is slightly difficult? Not sure? The Yale key is your education. This type of key is very practical and the fact that you put it in your pocket means you use it or have use for it.
The mug is your family. Nice, sturdy, practical. You even drink from it which means that you value your family, they give you comfort, fill your needs, and I imagine still keep ties with them? Did you take it with you?
The Large white building is your mind. You walked right in so I believe you are comfortable with who you are. Large and white (expansive, intelligent, and white could be goodness, spiritual/sensitive, etc.)
The bear is God. Are you passive in your relationship to God? Do you contemplate God? That’s how I interpret this.
Well, well, Michael. The puddle is your sex life and the fact that you splash around in it, indicates a VERY healthy sexual appetite. Enough said. : )
Sounds like you manage obstacles and problems in your life with ease and a very nonchalant attitude.
Rubbish? You tell me?
Ha ha, some of it is trueish I guess.
My life isn’t particularly difficult but I tend to favour function over form. I didn’t go to university or anything but I am in IT so probably look at things practically and logically.
I am actually very bad at keeping in contact with people, whether they are friends or family.
With regards to God I am very much an atheist.
The puddle? It was certainly nice to hear a compliment about that sort of thing!
The hill is significant. I also liked that you splashed around in your water. When I get home from work today we can examine more closely. Stay tuned…
Leaves, rats running across the road
Gold, looks like the key to my apartment, I see if it works
711 Red Big Gulp Cup, I don’t touch it
It’s a gigantic skyscraper and I scratch my head puzzled what it’s doing here
My stomach drops and my heart starts beating faster, I freeze
It’s a puddle, I look in it and see my reflection
It’s a child’s jungle gym, I crawl through it thinking that wasn’t too big of an obstacle
I knew yours would be rich!
The rat infested road is how you see your life at this point in time. The leaves might indicate fall or winter? Maybe life is a little bit of a grind right now, not so peaceful and worry free, you probably feel like you have to be vigilant, but that will change, I’m sure.
The key is gold (valuable) and practical. Interesting how you immediately tried to put it to use? The 711 Big Gulp Cup is your family. The fact that you don’t touch it (see Pete’s interpretation) means that you have no use for them currently. A big gulp cup is not breakable, and can be re-cycled but is also seen as garbage. You choose the interpretation that fits here. Remember, it represents your current feelings about family. (I saw a styrofoam cup so you’re in good company.)
The gigantic skyscraper is a very IMPRESSIVE symbol as your mind. I think it indicates a great intelligence and solid sense of self. Also, everyone can see a skyscraper and admire it. Very cool.
The bear is God. So it would seem from your description that you have some built in fear of God. Maybe this is a good thing?
The puddle is your sex life! Nice that you see yourself in the reflection! haha! Did you go in the puddle as Michael did, Or just admire your beautiful self? Only you know how you felt about that puddle!
The jungle gym is a great obstacle. It looks more difficult than it is. Basically you got past it like it was child’s play. You tackle problems thinking they’re gonna be difficult and then you’re surprised that you managed with ease!
Hope this is not too far off base. Feel free to share if it is.
Not at all off base. I was worried that you were going to need such specific answers for this to work but from what I know about each participant they seemed close enough. It’s so open to interpretation and even though it’s not some trick it gets you thinking about your own problems and possibly how to fix them or at least what needs fixing.
Very interesting though. I hope you do something like this again.
I forgot to mention that the symbols are described above. I edited them into this post. And, the KEY represents your education.
Reblogged this on A Sophisticate and commented:
I did this test too!
I was just snooping around and came across this page. I have been ‘doing’ the road, something like this one before most of the (above) readers were born, since the early 1970’s. Forgetting the differences between the two, the only other thing I would include is that the road is only good for the moment in time and can only be done once to the same person. I have enjoyed sharing this with people going on forty years now and will continue to see how others tell their story.