Word Association Test (WAT) at SSB Interview (400+ New Words)

Word Association Test (WAT) at SSB Interview forms the part of the psychological test, which is conducted on the second day at SSB Interview. The other 3 tests under the Psychological test at the SSB Interview are

• Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT)
• Situation Reaction Test (SRT)
• Self-Description Test (SD)

In this article, we will focus on Word Association Test (WAT) at SSB Interview, as it is one of the main tests at the SSB Interview. There are certain aspects of WAT that every aspirant must know before appearing for an SSB Interview. So, let’s know the tips which will help in giving your best in Word Association Test (WAT) at SSB Interview.

What is Word Association Test (WAT)?

Word Association Test (WAT) is a tool to test personality and mental function. In the Test, the candidate is shown a series of words or a group of words and they have to respond by writing the first thought that comes to their mind. This response can be in the form of a complete sentence, phrase, or group of words.

The time given to candidates is minimal so they don’t get time to fabricate their responses and just write the first thought that comes to their mind. Most of the responses have to be spontaneous, in which knowingly or unknowingly our subconscious mind plays an important role.

The Psychologist then assesses the responses to each word and makes a sketch of their personality and qualities, background from which they belong, strengths and weaknesses, and other such traits. The word that is left blank with no responses also highlights the mental traits of the candidate. 

The procedure of the Word Association Test (WAT) at the SSB Interview

The Candidates are shown 60 words which are projected on the screen for 15 seconds. 15 seconds is the time limit for every word, in which they have to read and understand the word and write a meaningful first thought that comes to their mind on seeing the word and get ready for the next word.

There is no time gap between the two flashed words. The sequence of the words must be maintained with their serial numbers. Once the test starts, it stops only after flashing the 60^th word. Time Limit is important to measure the candidate’s natural response.

Tips for Word Association Test (WAT)

• Just remember that we have to write our thought on seeing the word. We don’t have to just use that word in a sentence, as it is Word Association Test is not a Sentence Making Test
• It must be remembered that WAT is the test of personality and not the test of language, as the idea that comes to your mind is more important, regardless of the beauty of expression.
• WAT evaluates the quality of ideas associated with the words.
• Form a positive and meaningful sentence as far as possible.
• The sentences should be framed in such a manner that, they show Officer like Quality (OLQ) like Optimism, leadership, confidence, determination, Courage, responsibility, etc.
• You can use the words like “Cannot”, “Do Not”, unless they are used to show positive thoughts.
• Be Logical and a keen observer. These traits are easily apprehended by psychologists through the candidate’s performance in Word Association Test (WAT).
• Be as natural as possible. Your responses will be checked by experienced Psychologists who are well trained to evaluate your thought process, based on your responses.
• Practice a lot of WAT for at least one month before your SSB Interview.

Don’ts for Word Association Test (WAT)

• It is not necessary to make beautiful grammatically correct sentences
• Do not first write the word and then the reaction. Write the reaction straight away against the serial number.
• Do not form sentences that show negative traits and anti-social feelings.
• Avoid giving orders, instructions, and advice in your sentence.
• Do not write borrowed or memorized sentences from any book or website, instead make real sentences.
• Handwriting should be legible without any cutting or overwriting.
• Do not use proverbs, idioms, quotations, phrases & Universal Truths in sentences.
• Do not use the future tense, as it is always uncertain.
• Avoid sentences on simple observations.
• Avoid framing a positive sentence & inserting OLQs in every sentence on purpose. Keep it as natural as possible.
• Avoid using words of “I or Me”.
• Do Not hammer on Joining the Army.

Type of Words shown at WAT

There are 3 types of words shown at the Word Association Test (WAT) at SSB Interview

1. Positive Words – (Loyal, Great, Attractive, Funny, Ambitious)
2. Neutral Words – (Help, House, Proposal, Father, Mother, Child)
3. Negative Words – (Cheat, Noise, Terror, Distress, Evil)

How to Handle Negative Words

• You can frame negative sentences, but the intent of the sentence should be positive. All negative cannot be written in a positive way.
  • Example – Suicide: Committing suicide is not the solution to any problem.
• You can change the form of the word like you can make poor as poverty. So use this to your advantage.
• If you are not able to frame anything then simply write your reaction with the positive aspect of that negative word.
• Do not spend much time thinking as you can skip the word. This will only affect that single word and other words can be attempted within time.
• You can write how you can remove that particular negative word or think by some positive one, like ‘Nervousness can be overcome by preparations’
• Be very calm and positive throughout the whole procedure. Just remember there are only 15 seconds to watch, think, write and be ready for the next word.
• Don’t let one word ruin the next words in the series. Missing one word is better than ruining all other consecutive words.
• Do not mug up responses for negative words in advance. Instead, try to practice as many negative words as possible.

Why WAT at SSB Interview?

Every Job has some minimum requirements, which every candidate must possess. Defense forces is an entirely different profession in which you require nerves of steel and a heart of iron. Moreover, habits can be developed over a period of time, but mental strength and personality traits can be achieved only up to some level. Thus testing the mental strength of the candidate becomes the basic criteria.

Word Association Test (WAT) tests the personality of the candidate through his association of ideas about different aspects and matters. The psychologist assesses the personality of the candidate by showing him words of different types carefully selected by him. With the candidates association of ideas with a particular word, the psychologist draws his own conclusion about the personality of the candidate.

Word Association Test (WAT) was first used by the famous psychologist Francis Galton in 1879. Later it was developed by Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. WAT was part of the psychological test since its inception in SSB Interview.

Sample WAT

1. Courage – It needs the courage to fight
2. Fly – I love to fly
3. Work – Work is worship
4. Ant – the hardworking Insect
5. Sleep – Loss of time
6. Time – time is money
7. Always – be punctual
8. Child – Father of every man
9. Sun – source of energy for all
10. Work – Work is worship
11. Hijack– commandos are trained for 
12. Weak – A brave man defeats his weakness
13. Aggressive – A leader patiently deals with his team.
14. Snake – Snake poison is useful for medical purposes.
15. Accident – Following traffic rules helps avoid accidents.
16. Kill – Killing our large ego is sometimes the solution to most of the problems.
17. Sorry – Accepting mistakes and saying sorry is a good way of apologizing.
18. Disagree – Disagreeing to something is natural, a person has his own opinions.
19. Waste – Avoid wastage of resources by managing them efficiently.
20. Poverty – Indian government has launched various schemes to tackle poverty in India.
21. Delay – Following a regular time-table avoids getting delayed

Practice Time

Abandon	Convince	Headmaster	Peace
Able	Cooperation	Height	Persuade
Absconder	Corruption	Help	Pessimist
Accept	Criticize	Hesitation	Pity
Accomplish	Cruel	Hide	Plan
Achieve	Cry	Holiday	Playground
Active	Culprit	Home	Pleasure
Admire	Cult	Honest	Policy
Adult	Cup	Horrible	Poor
Adventure	Curfew	Humiliate	Possible
Adversity	Damage	Humorous	Praise
Affection	Darling	Hunger	Precaution
Again	Decide	Hunt	Preparation
Against	Decision	Hurt	Pride
Agree	Defeat	Identity	Principle
Aid	Defense	Ill	Problems
Aim	Demand	Illiterate	Progress
All	Deny	Imagination	Project
Aloof	Depress	Impossible	Prosperity
Ambassador	Depressed	Impurity	Provide
Anguish	Deprivation	India	Punish
Annoys	Desire	Inferior	Purity
Anxiety	Despair	Influence	Purpose
Appeal	Develop	Initiative	Puzzle
Approach	Dialogue	Injury	Question
Architect	Dictator	Injustice	Quick
Argument	Differ	Insane	Quiz
Army	Dirty	Insecure	Racist
Arrogance	Disagree	Insist	Read
Ashamed	Disaster	Insult	Recession
Ask	Discipline	Jealous	Refrain
Assist	Discourage	Jealous.	Religion
Atom	Dishonest	Joke	Resentment
Attempt	Disorder	Joy	Revenge
Attract	Disrespect	Jump	Rigid
Average	Distress	Jungle	Rude
Award	Diversity	Killed	Sad
Aware	Divorce	Kite	Sadness
Awful	Dreadful	Land	Saint
Baby	Drug	Language	Select
Bachelor	Dumb	Late	Selfish
Ballot	Duty	Lazy	Service
Barrier	Ego	Leader	Shame
Beauty	Embarrass	Lie	Sharp
Bed	Emergency	Life	Shy
Bee	End	Lifeless	Sick
Beer	Enemy	Limit	Simple
Beg	Enmity	Lively	Sin
Beggar	Evil	Lockdown	Sister
Begin	Excuse.	Logic	Situation
Behave	Extinct	Lonely	Sleep
Best	Fail/Failure	Loose	Soldier
Bilateral	Failure	Looser	Solve
Bitterness	Fair	Lose	Space
Blessing	Faith	Lost	Speed
Blood	Fall	Love	Steal
Bluff	Family	Loyal	Strange
Blunder	Fault	Luck	Strategy
Bold	Favorite	Lust	Stress
Books	Fellow	Machine	Success
Booze	Film	Mad	Suicide
Border	Finish	Man	Suitable
Bore	First	Manager	Surprised
Boredom	Flexible	Marriage	Suspense
Borrow	Flowers	Meet	Suspicious
Boss	Foe	Merit	Sustain
Brave	Follow	Minus	Sympathy
Break	Force	Mirror	System
Bribe	Forest	Miser	Tackle
Bright	Foul	Misery	Task
Broken	Friend	Mistake	Teacher.
Bullet	Fright	Mistrust	Team
Burden	Frustration	Money	Technology
Calamity	Furious	Moral	Tension
Calm	Future	Mortality	Terror
Candle	Gallant	Mother	Test
Cannot	Gay	Mountain	Thief
Capable	Girl	Mourn	Time
Captain	Gloom	Movie	Tired
Care	God	Mature	Tragedy
Careful	Gold	Music	Traitor
Casual	Gossip	Must	Transparent
Change	Greedy	Naught	Traumatic
Character	Grief	Need	Travel
Charity	Group	Negative	Trust
Child	Guard	Neglect	Truth
Choice	Guide	Neighbour	Typical
Circumstances	Guilt	Nightmare	Unable
Class	Guilty	No	Un-fair
Clean	Gun	Noise	Unhappiness
Climb	Guts	Not	Urge
Company	Habit	Oath	Use
Compel	Hand	Offense	Victory
Complete	Handicap	Offensive	Violate
Conduct	Happy	Officer.	Violence
Confidence	Hardwork	Operation	Virtue
Confusion	Harm	Organize	Vision
Congratulation	Harmful	Pain	Weak
Conquer	Haste	Party	Wealth
Continue	Hatred	Passion	Welfare
Wife	Work	Yield	Zoo
Wisdom	Worst	Young	Match
Withdraw	Worthless	Youth	Zenith
Women	Worthy	Zeal	False

Hope the article would have helped in getting more insights into the Word Association Test (WAT) conducted at SSB Interview.

For any further queries, clarification or questions, do comment.

Also, Read

1. How to write the best Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT) Stories in SSB Interview
2. Situation Reaction Test (SRT) at SSB Interview (60+ New Situations)
3. How to write the best Self Description at SSB Interview