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CHAPTER 4

SRT (Situation Reaction Test)

A Conscious Test, Not The Test of Your Imagination. No liberty on the part of the candidates. In
this test everything is controlled by the Psychologist.

Lesson 1
Situation Reaction Test (SRT)

Life is full of problems. It does not move according to our desires, whims or fancies.
Countless hurdles, obstructions, shortages, unexpected troubles, breakdowns, technical snags,
tussles, non-cooperation, disobedience, lack of knowledge or resources in day-to-day situations
are bound to restrict or impede our progress. One cannot succeed by merely setting a goal for
himself. Success or achievement of goal depends on how a hurdle or impediment has been
tackled’.
Facing hurdles people react in different ways. Reactions can happen at all the three dimensions or
planes of behaviour i.e., thoughts, words and actions. Also, reactions may be at overt or covert level.
Consider a case wherein one student plans to take up engineering as his career stream but fails to
qualify the pre-engineering test to get admission in a technical college. Facing this failure, he might
react in many ways like :—
1. He takes a resolve appear with better preparations in the next chance. (Attack)
2. Instead of going for a degree, he joins a diploma course. (Compromise)
3. He applies for re-evaluation of his answer scripts. (Defence mechanism indicating compromise)
4. He thinks that engineering is too tough for him and hence drops this idea and seeks admission in
humanities. (Withdrawal and Compromise)
5. He declares himself as a victim of a corrupt and unfair system of entrance test where merit has no
place. (Defence mechanism)
6. He cries. (Withdrawal)
7. He attempts to commit suicide. (Withdrawal)
8. He joins a coaching institute in Chennai in order to make quality preparations. (Attack)
Let us examine the responses mentioned above. These responses can be grouped into the following
categories :—
1 2 3

Attack Compromise Withdrawal
(a) Attack—Response numbers 1 and 8 indicate the fighting spirit. The candidate is not ready to
give up. He will make another attempt inspite of failures.
(b) Compromise—Examine response at Nos. 2 and 3 and 4. The candidate lowers his aim with the
acceptance that a bigger aim is out of his reach. This may be a realistic evaluation of one’s own