Merritt, your unconscious mind is driven most by
By having your unconscious mind driven most by Sexuality, it appears that most of the time your erotic self is leading the way. Whether this is because you're presently having a great physical relationship or simply wanting one, an awareness of sexuality and people's bodies is more lit up for you than it is for many other people. This heightened focus, coupled with your vivid imagination, can make you more likely to have original — at times risque- interpretations of things that other people might view as being rather innocent.
It's likely that you're well aware of this inclination towards sexual thoughts. You might even consider yourself something of a hedonist at heart. By being imaginative and full of life, you're probably one who keeps your days interesting and upbeat. So long as your thoughts don't interfere with your daily activities or keep you from appreciating other aspects of life, you shouldn't chide yourself for having them. Instead, appreciate yourself for your creative nature and ability to imagine your own unique visions.
Your inkblot report
Unlocking your unconscious
Responses to Tickle's inkblot test
History behind the test
For More Reading
Your responses to the inkblots reveal more than just what drives your unconscious mind. They also uncover some central details about your personality, perspective, and relationships with others. Your unconscious mind colors these characteristics but is different from them. Here's what your responses indicated:
Your concept of reality
Your concept of reality is highly similar to that of others but not an exact match. Your perceptions seem to fall in between those who create their own unique realities and those who possess more mainstream perspectives. Because you straddle that middle ground of being in agreement with others and having your own opinions of the world, you can be both a follower and a leader. You can be a follower in the sense that you probably don't have trouble going along with the group most times since others' ideas will usually seem rational to you. You can be a leader because your creative viewpoints may sometimes allow you to guide others in new directions.
The difficulty for people like you is that at times you may feel pulled between taking the popular viewpoint and accepting your own vision of what is right. Because your concept of reality is rarely off the deep end, you can generally feel confident that there's something valid in your perspectives. Even if others don't always share your views, try not to let the masses talk you out of them. There can sometimes be great value in forging your own path. Finding a healthy balance between others' ideas and your own can be key to both your relationships and success.
Gaining confidence in the validity of your perceptions can be very valuable for types like you. When you find yourself doubting an opinion that is uniquely yours, try taking a step back to ask yourself where your uncertainty is coming from. Is it because you truly suspect that you're wrong, because others believe you are wrong, or because you're not clear on what your opinion really is? By honestly reflecting on your views, you can develop stronger convictions and feel less susceptible to others' sway.
Rather than trying to determine whether you can trust your perceptions on a case-by-case basis, over time you'll be able to develop gut instincts about the quality of your views. Here's an exercise to help you test not only what you think, but also how strongly you believe in your perceptions.
Think back to the last time you went to the grocery store. Then, take out a piece of paper and a pen and map out the layout of the grocery store as you remember it. Be as specific as possible, including details of where different food groups are located, how many aisles there are, the number of checkout lanes, and so forth. Mark those things that you are sure about with a star versus those you're just pretty sure about.
Then, on your next trip to the store, take your drawing with you and grade yourself on how accurately you depicted it. Were there certain things you got right but others you were way off on? If so, don't feel discouraged. Some people will get the number of aisles right but will misremember food locations. Others will know exactly where their favorite foods are but won't remember anything else about the store. Doing exercises like this one can help you sort out the quality of your perceptions as well as bolster your belief in yourself.
Your mental flexibility
This section looks as the flexibility of your opinions, values, and perspective. To determine your result, Tickle's experts examined both the fluidity of your thinking and the rigidity of your opinions.
Based on your responses, you're reasonably flexible in your thinking and opinions. As a result, when dealing with most topics, you can easily consider other people's views. However, if a conversation centers on one of your core values, you're typically more reluctant to entertain other ways of thinking. This is true for most people. After all, it's good to have strong opinions on issues of importance. These views help create a foundation for what you believe in. Naturally, your ideas can change and develop over time. But particularly in your case, it's unlikely that they'll be radically different from day to day.
Occasionally your certainty can result in missed opportunities. If you're too sure of your values, you might forego the chance to observe a different way of being. You might also fail to imagine a way of life that might actually make you happier. If you find that you are excessively defensive on certain topics, it's likely because of one of the following reasons. Either the area is something you've had extensive experience with, and therefore have personal history to base your views on. Or, your defensiveness could be covering up a deep wound or insecurity that you're afraid will be exposed if you open yourself up to a new way of thinking.
When you find yourself behaving defensively about one of your opinions, instead of escalating the situation or shutting down, take a moment to step back and examine your beliefs. Have you formed your opinion based on sound knowledge and experience, or is it merely convenient for you to think that way? At times, you might be surprised to find that fear or even simple laziness is at the root of some of your views. When trying to uncover what is really bothering you about having your viewpoint questioned, ask yourself: "What would be so bad if my opinion were wrong?" In finding out what you have to lose by changing your opinion you can come to some deep understanding about your true values and motivations.
You Level of Fantasy
Some people fantasize nearly nonstop, others rarely do, and the majority of people fall somewhere in between. Imagination and the ability to create alternate realities are the two factors that determine whether or not a person is capable of having a highly colorful fantasy life. However, not everyone who can fantasize does. For example, if two strangers who were both capable of fantasizing were sitting next to one another on a bus, one might still spend the whole ride thinking about paying their bills and formulating their next to-do list, while the other could be envisioning taking a siesta on a tropical island. For Tickle's Inblot Test, having a high level of fantasy involves both having the mental tools necessary to fantasize and putting them to use.
Being prone to fantasy can be thought of as a spectacular gift. Fantasy can give one the ability to create a made-up world much more captivating and pleasurable than the usual day-to-day realities. This can be a wonderful asset as you go though life - a free form of entertainment that you can use any time.
Some people look at those who are fantasy prone in a derogatory way. They feel that the more realistically a person thinks, the saner they are. Indeed, most definitions of "abnormal" refer to what is "unusual" or "not frequent". Clinical experts sometimes look at fantasy as a means of trying to escape reality, rather that face what's there.
Regardless of how one feels about fantasy, its value is heavily dependent on how it's used. If you use fantasy to visualize improvements in your life without ignoring important realities, then fantasy can be a useful talent. It can help you maintain your optimism and even to devise novel solutions to your problems. However, if fantasy is something you retreat into as a way of denying reality, then you might want to reconsider your use of it.
Tickle's experts found that you are certainly capable of fantasizing and may even enjoy keeping yourself entertained that way. However, based on your responses, your first reaction to stress probably isn't to create an alternate universe or to imagine things differently than they actually are. In fact, you appear to have the nice balance of having the gift of fantasy at your disposal without having the tendency to overly rely on it. In other words, when it comes to fantasy, you typically use it, but don't abuse it.
Fantasy is a technique frequently employed by people living under harsh conditions in order to ease their stress. In this way, imagination can be a vital tool for prison inmates who live in depressing, restrictive conditions day in and day out. Using the power of fantasy can also be a profound relief for people living in poverty and in war zones. In fact, there are many people who live in adverse situations or deal with other painful circumstances that could benefit from occasional relief through fantasy.
Fantasy only becomes a problem when you ignore something you need to deal with because you have the ability to fantasize it away. For example, imagine you have a problem with an aunt of yours. Perhaps this aunt says something that upsets you almost every time you talk with her. As a result, after a while you stop listening to her in favor of pretending that you're someplace else entirely. The fantasy you create for yourself might be more exciting - and far less annoying, but it doesn't change this detrimental pattern between you and your aunt. A better response might be to put your fantasies aside for a while to address your aunt's poor communication style head-on.
At it's worst, fantasy can keep you from making important lifestyle choices. For instance, if you fantasize that you have boundless energy and are a wonderful athlete, and in the meantime sit on your couch eating potato chips and playing video games, there will eventually come a time where you won't be able to deny what is really happening to your body and you will have to tend to the reality of your deteriorating health. However, there's no reason that you have to let fantasy affect you in these negative ways. So long as you pay attention to the aspects of your life that need addressing, like your health or your career, you should be able to use fantasy and creative visualizations to bolster your happiness and success, not impede them.
How you relate to others
Your relationships are complex things. One important aspect affecting all of them is the role that you play when interacting with others. Do you typically take an active approach when dealing with the people around you, or do you tend to behave more passively? According to your test responses, you appear to have a balanced approach to interacting. You're not consistently the one who is active or passive. This mixed pattern indicates that, relative to other people, you try to either be sensitive to the needs of a particular situation or the people with whom you're dealing. By being able to adjust your approach depending on how the others are behaving, you can handle most situations with ease. Your friends may see you as a great listener or a savvy communicator because of your gift for reading people.
The overall effect of this balanced approach is that you have more options available to you when it comes to your communication style. The possible downside to this fact is that certain individuals with a balanced approach can get confused about which approach feels most natural to them — not just to the situation. While flexibility is a good thing, if you behave solely according to what's going on around you, it can wear on your sense of self.
Another difficulty you may find yourself running up against is that your balanced style may seem like inconsistency to other people. For example, if one day you take the lead in a group and the next day you choose to follow, this transition can be unsettling to those around you. Also when you're dealing with someone who is also balanced in their approach, your relationship can become an elaborate dance where each of you is trying to figure out who's taking charge. If you find yourself in a situation like this one, consider making your style more consistent — whether active or passive — in order to avoid potential confusion.
Your inkblot report
Unlocking your unconscious
Responses to Tickle's inkblot test
History behind the test
For More Reading
Tickle's research team thought that you might find it interesting to compare your answers to those that we got from other people. For this reason, we've included the inkblots from the test along with the percentages of people that responded for each option.
Inkblot #1
Your answer
1. Which of these choices most closely captures the emotional impact of the inkblot?
18% • Happiness, joy, hope, positivity, or excitement
22% • Calmness or serenity
4% • Fear, disgust, terror, or feeling threatened
50% • Curiosity, interest, or provoking thought
5% • Turmoil, confusion, despair, gloom, or feeling trapped
2. What was the strongest image you saw in this inkblot?
24% • Airplane, space ship, or space craft
13% • Person
16% • Bug or insect
4% • Flower
6% • Diamond, jewel, or glass
3% • Frog
2% • Forest
5% • Motorcycle
2% • Bird
6% • Some type of animal not listed above
4% • More than one animal
5% • I saw nothing
11% • None of the above
3. Did you see anything sexual in this inkblot?
17% • Yes
9% • Maybe
74% • No
4. Does this inkblot seem like it's:
16% • Ancient or from the past
21% • Contemporary
45% • Futuristic, or occurring in the future
13% • I don't know
5% • None of the above
5. Did you see anything involving aliens or outer-space vehicles in this inkblot?
28% • Yes
21% • Maybe
51% • No
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Inkblot #2
6. Of these emotions, which did this inkblot most strongly convey?
14% • Pride
22% • Anger
2% • Disgust
4% • Confusion
3% • Happiness
6% • Insanity
3% • Depression
8% • Concern
28% • Fear
10% • Nothing
7. Which of the following choices most closely resembles what you saw in this inkblot?
4% • A bat
12% • A monster or alien
4% • A superhero
38% • An evil or dark creature
4% • A male or female figure
15% • A part-human, part-animal
2% • A mixture of two different non-human animal species
7% • A bug (bee, fly, moth, etc.)
6% • A wizard or witch
1% • An elephant
2% • An angel
3% • A gargoyle
2% • None of the above
8. Did you see (if you saw more than one of these images, pick the image you saw first):
13% • Lungs
1% • A frog
3% • A flower
1% • A penis
3% • A volcano
27% • An animal
51% • None of the above
9. Of these feelings, which did the inkblot most strongly convey?
1% • Humor
3% • Passion
3% • Calmness
1% • Shock
2% • Nervousness
9% • Cruelty
39% • Power
13% • Mystery
27% • Creepy/freaky
1% • Pity
1% • Nothing
10. Check which of these things, if any, stood out the most in this inkblot:
24% • A cape, robe, or coat
3% • Weapons
50% • Wings
15% • Eyes
4% • A costume
2% • A sunset
3% • None of the above
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Inkblot #3
11. Is this inkblot more masculine or feminine?
17% • Masculine
57% • Feminine
26% • Neither
12. Which of the following things did you see in this inkblot?
24% • A fairy, angel, or elf
26% • A mosquito, wasp, fly, dragonfly, bee, or hornet
5% • A cricket, bug, grasshopper, or ant
1% • A bird
1% • A flower
27% • Two flying creatures
7% • A combination of flying and non-flying creatures
3% • A pelvis bone
1% • A nipple
1% • A cloud
4% • None of the above
13. Which emotion does this inkblot most strongly convey?
2% • Lust
12% • Happiness
4% • Anxiety
3% • Disgust
3% • Hatred
3% • Pain
4% • Despair
7% • Warmth
7% • Love
10% • Both happiness and sadness
8% • Romance
14% • Innocence
24% • None of the above
14. Did you see any of these things in this inkblot?
3% • A bat
1% • A man
14% • A woman
2% • A child
1% • A ship
1% • A salamander
1% • A moose
1% • A lion
2% • A scorpion or spider
1% • A rat or mouse
6% • A skeleton or skull
65% • None of the above
15. Were you sexually aroused by this inkblot?
1% • Very much
4% • Somewhat
9% • Barely
86% • Not one bit
16. Try to find two flying insects in this inkblot. What are they doing?
13% • Kissing
2% • Having sex
36% • Facing each other
5% • Fighting violently
2% • Holding each other
10% • Dancing
8% • Conversing
4% • Eating
6% • Flying
1% • Dreaming
1% • Arguing
9% • Meeting
3% • Thinking about what to do next
1% • Nothing
2% • I don't see two flying insects in the inkblot
17. We asked Tickle members to write several open-ended responses to this inkblot. Below we have listed two real responses and one that is made-up. Which of these is the made-up response?
38% • Two boa constrictors about to strike
10% • Two skeleton mice dancing
52% • A smiling cow
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Inkblot #4
18. Can you see the image of a chicken in this inkblot?
5% • Yes, many
20% • Yes, one
75% • No, none
19. Look for a frog in this inkblot. Is the frog:
29% • Hit by a car or otherwise squashed
26% • Dissected
9% • Jumping or moving about
20% • Reaching out its arms
11% • Lying still
5% • Dead (though not squashed or dissected)
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Inkblot #5
20. Was it unpleasant to look at this inkblot?
8% • Definitely unpleasant
36% • Somewhat unpleasant
44% • Neutral
12% • Pleasant
21. What best summarizes what you saw in this inkblot?
25% • An explosion
3% • A cloud
15% • A plane/helicopter/jet
3% • Water
4% • A person sitting in something
3% • A totem pole
3% • A race car
5% • A butterfly/dragonfly
4% • A bird
1% • A swimmer
3% • A face
5% • A bike, motorcycle, or handlebars
6% • An animal or animals
5% • A person or people
16% • What I saw is totally different from this
22. If this inkblot were a temperature, would it be hot or cold?
47% • Hot
36% • Cold
18% • It conveys nothing about temperature
23. Which of the following things, if any, stood out to you the most?
8% • Water
21% • Smoke
9% • A cloud or clouds
3% • A setting sun
2% • Rocks
2% • Land
26% • Blood
2% • Hair
7% • A storm
20% • None of the above
24. What might this inkblot symbolize?
22% • War
28% • Chaos
4% • Evil
3% • Relationships
9% • Emotions
5% • A headache
12% • Spirituality
17% • A warning
25. Which of the following things is the easiest for you to see in the inkblot?
4% • A police chase at night
12% • A spine
12% • A canyon
10% • An alien
11% • A sorcerer
4% • A circus act
12% • A murder
6% • A fight
30% • An accident
26. We asked Tickle members to write several open-ended responses to this inkblot. Below we have listed five real responses and one that is made-up. Which of these is the made-up response?
8% • A lighthouse on a not-so-distant shore during a dark, cloudy, and stormy night
17% • An old person in grief over a murdered loved one
30% • Two people having amazing sex
23% • Two kids kissing in the dark
16% • A god with his eyes closed viewing a totem pole with peace
6% • A sorcerer or sorceress performing a spell
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Inkblot #6
27. Does this inkblot make you feel nostalgic?
3% • Definitely
26% • Somewhat
28% • Hardly at all
43% • Definitely not
28. Which of the following most closely matches what you saw in this inkblot?
14% • Rings from a drinking glass
19% • Breasts
30% • Eyes or glasses
1% • A teacher
7% • Fish and bubbles
6% • Something circus-related
1% • Jewelry
3% • A face
5% • Animals or birds
1% • Hula-hoops
7% • Groucho Marx, Mario, or Charlie Chaplin
2% • A person or people
5% • None of the above
29. Which of the following songs does this inkblot most remind you of?
26% • I Will Survive
44% • Hopelessly Devoted to You
15% • Let's Talk About Sex
15% • I don't know any of those songs
30. Look for eyes in this inkblot. What are they doing?
9% • Staring straight at me
72% • Looking up
3% • Crying
12% • Searching
2% • Nothing
1% • I can't see eyes in the inkblot
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Inkblot #7
31. What was your initial emotional reaction to this inkblot?
14% • Fear
12% • Surprise
9% • Disgust
10% • Amusement or laughter
1% • Pain
1% • Grief
2% • Sadness
20% • Mixed emotions
2% • Sexual arousal
29% • Neutral
32. Of the following, what was the thing you saw most clearly in this inkblot?
12% • A dragon or monster
22% • A mask
3% • A person
5% • A clown
2% • A mountain
14% • A bug, ant, insect, beetle, or cockroach
3% • A spider
1% • A crab
1% • A two-headed man
5% • A part or parts of a face (e.g., teeth)
8% • A whole face
7% • A frog
5% • A skull
10% • Some other animal
2% • None of the above
33. What do you think is happening in this inkblot?
11% • Nothing
6% • Climbing or jumping
1% • Running
4% • Killing
9% • Lying, sitting, or squatting
2% • Lifting
11% • Getting ready to do something
3% • Feeding or eating
6% • Smiling
4% • Dancing
39% • Glaring
4% • None of these
34. Of the following, which word or words best describe what you saw in this inkblot?
17% • Deformed or mutated
5% • Torn apart
20% • Evil
6% • Flattened
17% • Ugly
15% • Crazy
15% • Normal
7% • Beautiful
35. Which of the following can you most easily see in this inkblot?
12% • A robot
7% • Mr. Potatohead
36% • A pelvic bone
27% • The female reproductive system
13% • Shadows of people
6% • A war
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Inkblot #8
36. What is the emotion most strongly conveyed by this inkblot?
2% • Pleasure or happiness
23% • Serenity or calmness
20% • Uneasiness
6% • Nostalgia
5% • Sadness
2% • Stupidity
4% • Freedom
7% • Harmony
2% • Security
14% • Curiosity
13% • None of the above
37. What was the first thing you saw in this inkblot?
29% • A butterfly or moth
20% • Devil(s)
1% • Flower(s)
11% • Sea horse(s)
5% • Unicorn(s)
3% • Fetus(es)
5% • An old man or men
3% • Ribs or lungs
11% • Two animals or non-human creatures
5% • Two people
1% • One person
3% • An animal head or skull
2% • None of the above
38. Did you see any of the following things in this inkblot?
2% • Blood
5% • Feces
14% • Smoke
4% • Water
31% • A veil or cloth
2% • Urine
6% • A mirror
39% • None of the above
39. Were there parts of this inkblot you had to ignore in order to make sense of it?
2% • Yes, lots
11% • Several parts
38% • One or two small parts
49% • I used all the parts to form my primary impression
40. We asked Tickle members to write several open-ended responses to this inkblot. Below we have listed one real response and two that are made-up. Which of these is the real response?
30% • Two devils with condoms on their heads
47% • A footprint of an evil beast
23% • Two slugs and their shadows
41. Imagine that the inkblot is really a picture of a butterfly. Of the following options, which best summarizes the butterfly's nature?
31% • Kind
17% • Cruel
52% • Indifferent
42. Which most closely describes the butterfly?
21% • Active
56% • Still
23% • Dead
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Inkblot #9
43. Which of these things did you notice most when you first looked at the inkblot?
8% • A mask
12% • Glasses
43% • Eyes
9% • Ball(s)
6% • Egg(s)
6% • Testicles
18% • None of the above
44. Some Tickle members reported seeing parts of the human body or clothes in this inkblot. Which of these Tickle member responses is easiest for you to see in this inkblot?
7% • A fur-lined bra
13% • A man's testicles
3% • A hipbone
7% • A pelvis
4% • A rear end
18% • A woman's ovaries
10% • A vagina
5% • A penis
15% • Breasts
18% • I can't see any of these things in the inkblot
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Inkblot #10
45. If you had to choose, does this inkblot make you feel more sad or calm?
15% • Sad
85% • Calm
46. What best describes what you saw in this inkblot?
36% • Two women
3% • Two men
3% • Two children or a mix of women, men, and children
7% • A male body
30% • A female body
1% • A child's body
6% • A goat
1% • A dog
2% • A rabbit
1% • A butterfly
1% • An insect
4% • An animal face
1% • Some other animal's body
4% • None of the above
47. Of the following things, which is easiest for you to see in this inkblot?
6% • Drool
4% • Makeup
8% • Scarves
4% • A handlebar mustache
4% • Blood
4% • A river
1% • A forest
3% • A parking meter
3% • A bird bath
8% • A grinning demon
55% • None of the above
48. Imagine that there are two people pictured in this inkblot; one on the left-hand side and one on the right-hand side. What are they doing?
29% • Talking
12% • Dancing
1% • Sleeping
35% • Hugging or holding hands
4% • Thinking
1% • Fighting
1% • Running
6% • Conspiring
1% • Struggling
9% • None of the above
49. We asked Tickle members to write open-ended responses to this inkblot. Below we have listed three real responses and one that is made-up. Which of these is the made-up response?
36% • Two cows holding hands
19% • A gazelle that just took a drink of water
28% • A grumpy bunny
17% • A soldier looking in the mirror
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Inkblot #11
50. How did this inkblot make you feel?
14% • Uneasy
21% • Positive
9% • Negative
29% • Neutral
18% • Nothing
9% • I don't know
51. When you first looked at this inkblot, did you see any of the following things? If you saw more than one, pick the one that stood out most to you.
5% • A face
20% • Guns
5% • A bug or fly, etc.
5% • One animal
16% • Horses
10% • Dogs
1% • A landscape
10% • More than two creatures (excluding humans)
1% • A flower
2% • The head of a penis
2% • I didn't see anything in this inkblot
23% • None of the above
52. Is there anything sexually arousing about this inkblot?
7% • Yes, obviously
22% • Possibly
71% • No
53. Did you see a cowboy, or someone wearing a uniform or costume?
25% • Yes
14% • Maybe
61% • No
54. Does this inkblot remind you of anyone you know?
5% • Yes, several people
10% • Yes, one person
5% • Yes, myself
80% • No
55. Can you identify naked people or a woman's breasts in this inkblot?
23% • Yes, easily
32% • Yes, but it took a second look to see it
45% • No, I can't see this
56. Some people have reported seeing one or more people in this inkblot. If you are able to see any people (try looking at the inkblot again if you didn't see any people initially), what are they doing?
7% • Having sex
12% • Being violent
3% • Nothing, they are dead
3% • Nothing, they are immobilized by fear
11% • Nothing, they are still
5% • Competing
20% • Outstretching their arms for a hug
16% • Being physically active, but not in a violent or sexual manner
24% • None of the above
