Association test «16 associations»
Compress a problem through a chain of paired associations — from 16 words to one core word.
What this technique is
The «16 associations» association test is a pyramid self-knowledge technique: from the anchor word (problem) through 16 free associations and four rounds of pairwise merging to one core word, behind which the deep meaning of the experience is heard.
Why
To hear what actually stands behind an experience when a direct answer does not come. The compression procedure lets the unconscious speak — and often the last word turns out to be unexpected and precise.
When to use
When there is a problem or experience you want to understand, but the answer does not come. When thoughts go in circles. When you want to hear not «what I think about it», but «what it really is for me».
The «16 associations» technique is a way to hear what actually stands behind an experience. You formulate the problem in one word (anchor), then write 16 noun-associations to it. Then you pair them up: for each pair you pick one common word. 16 becomes 8, 8 — 4, 4 — 2, and at the end one core word remains. It often surprises — and it is in it that the root of what is happening is heard. The goal is not to «guess the right answer», but to let the unconscious speak through a simple procedure. The entry can be downloaded as PDF and saved to the account.