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Scales, Questionnaire and Test
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Topic starter
01/05/2026 12:52 pm
I recently came across a fascinating guide on interpreting Human Figure Drawings (HFD). Originally, Goodenough became interested in figure drawing to find a nonverbal way to supplement the Stanford-Binet intelligence test. However, in 1949, Karen Machover pioneered using figure drawing as a personality assessment by analyzing individual drawing characteristics.
The HFD test requires a subject to draw a human figure, and the results are based on psychodynamic interpretations of the drawing's details, such as the size, shape, and complexity of features, clothing, and background.
Here are some interesting specific interpretations from the guide:
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Line Pressure: Heavy pressure can indicate aggressive tendencies, organicity, or an antisocial personality. Conversely, faint lines might point to low energy, depression, or inadequacy.
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Symmetry and Size: Excessive symmetry might suggest an obsessive-compulsive, depressed, or paranoid state. Tiny drawings can show withdrawal or emotional dependence, while a figure too large for the page can mean the subject feels their environment is excessively constraining.
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Body Parts: Omitted hands can indicate withdrawal or inadequacy, while omitted arms might point to depression or helplessness. Enlarged ears might suggest auditory hallucinations, paranoia, or a schizoid state.
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Clothing: Drawing an over-clothed figure might show egocentrism or an antisocial personality. Drawing buttons on cuffs, shoelaces, and other unnecessary details can point to obsessive-compulsive tendencies.
It is incredibly interesting to see how much psychological detail goes into analyzing simple doodles!