Remote Associates Test (RAT)
Given three seemingly unrelated words, find the single word that connects them all. Based on Sarnoff Mednick's creativity assessment, trains lateral thinking.
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Related Exercises
Mind Meld
Mind Meld is a convergence exercise in which two players simultaneously say unrelated words, and the group then attempts to find a single word that connects the two. Players count down and speak at the same time, narrowing toward a shared answer through successive rounds of association. The exercise trains group mind, lateral thinking, and the trust required to commit to a choice without hesitation.
You Are Creative
In groups of three, participants take turns speaking Gibberish, English, and translating between the two, discovering their inherent creativity.
Dissociation
Dissociation is an exercise that reverses the standard word association pattern by requiring players to say a word that has no connection to the previous word. The exercise is surprisingly difficult, as the mind naturally seeks patterns and relationships. It trains performers to break habitual thought connections and access unexpected material.
Guilty by Association
Guilty by Association is a word and justification game in which a player is given a word and must explain how it connects to a seemingly unrelated topic. The exercise trains the lateral thinking and creative rationalization that fuel strong scene connections. It builds confidence in finding links between any two ideas.
Talk It Out
When creatively stuck, find a sounding board and simply talk until you stumble across the answer. Conversation becomes a way of discovering what you actually think.
Alternate Uses Test (AUT)
Take an everyday object and list as many different uses for it beyond its intended purpose as possible in two minutes. A daily creativity training exercise from divergent thinking research.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Remote Associates Test (RAT). Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/remote-associates-test-rat
The Improv Archive. "Remote Associates Test (RAT)." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/remote-associates-test-rat.
The Improv Archive. "Remote Associates Test (RAT)." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/remote-associates-test-rat. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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