The Rorschach inkblot test is a method used in psychology to analyse personality. It relies on the projection of thought processes and personality traits onto ambiguous objects. What can these 10 carefully selected cards reveal about you?
The Rorschach test
This test was devised by the Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach. He first presented his test in 1921. The test consists of ten cards. These are not random blots. Rorschach originally painted many inkblots by hand and had them tested on people, then chose just ten that triggered the most reactions and did the most to stimulate the imagination of the people tested.
The test includes five black-and-white cards, two black-and-red cards on a white background and three colour cards. All the blots are symmetrical along a vertical axis running through the centre of the card.
Rorschach developed the test as a tool for diagnosing schizophrenia, a mental illness associated with failing thought processes and reduced perception of emotions. He did not intend the cards to be used as a general personality test. He published his findings in a book entitled Psychodiagnostik.
The inkblots were first used as a projective personality test only in 1939. Interpretation of the images is used to assess the patient’s emotional state, personality traits and thought processes.
In an effort to simplify and standardise the evaluation of the test, Rorschach’s followers compiled overviews of the most common answers together with their explanations. This produced a list in which the meaning of answers can easily be looked up.
The Rorschach test is one of the best-known projective tests, but also one of the most controversial, and some experts question its validity and reliability.
How the test works and what it diagnoses
The principle of the Rorschach test lies in interpreting what the patient sees in the inkblots. In the blots, they may see various shapes or whole scenes that reveal their emotions, thoughts and fantasies. During the test, it is important to eliminate distorting influences. For this reason, the psychologist sits next to the person being tested rather than opposite them, which reduces the likelihood of influencing the answers through their own behaviour, gestures or facial expressions. The psychologist interprets the answers, as well as conscious and unconscious reactions, as an indicator of the patient’s personality or mental state. The Rorschach test is used to assess psychological conditions such as mental or personality disorders.
Several different criteria are used to evaluate the patient’s answers, including the number and type of shapes the patient sees and the way they talk about these shapes.
The number of shapes the patient sees in a blot can indicate their ability to distinguish and analyse information. If the patient sees many different shapes, they are assessed as creative and able to see things from different perspectives. On the other hand, if the patient sees only one or two figures, it may mean that they have difficulty analysing information.
The type of shapes the patient sees also plays an important role in the diagnosis. For example, when the patient sees mainly animal or human shapes, they are probably strongly emotionally engaged with the world around them. Geometric shapes mean that the person being assessed is rational and thinks logically.
Someone who is drawn to colours is emotional and volatile, while people who focus on shape have well-developed reasoning skills. Dependent people with passive attitudes see small animals in the blots, while impulsive people see moving creatures. Masks on faces suggest a reluctance to reveal oneself.
The way the patient expresses themselves is also significant. When the patient describes the figures as “beautiful” or “terrible”, it may mean that they are highly emotional.
According to some researchers, the test can reveal suicidal tendencies. However, it cannot say much about intelligence or the level of anxiety, even though it was widely used for this purpose in the past.
Controversy surrounding the method
There are many opponents of the Rorschach test who criticise its use as a method of psychological diagnosis. Opponents see the test as an attempt at objective personality analysis based on blots that provoke subjective reactions. Another problem can be the patient’s self-censorship of their thoughts. The main shortcomings are considered to be:
- Standardisation: The Rorschach test is not standardised, and there are large differences in how answers are interpreted.
- Objectivity: It is a subjective method, because the interpretation of answers depends on the psychologist’s opinion.
- Validity: There is not enough evidence to support the validity of the Rorschach test as a method of psychological diagnosis.
- Potential for discrimination: The test may be discriminatory towards certain groups, such as minority groups or patients with intellectual disabilities.
- Ethics: The method requires the patient to open up about their private thoughts and present them, which may be ethically problematic.
It is important to bear in mind that the Rorschach test has its limitations and is not the only method for diagnosing personality or mental state. It is combined with other methods to achieve the most accurate result possible.
