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The Rorschach Inkblot Test: Complexity and Cognitive Engagement
Introducing the Test
The Rorschach inkblot test is a psychological questionnaire which was designed by Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach in 1921 (Choca & Rossini, 2018). This test is used to examine a persons mental health and personality. It is also used to evaluate a persons response to various situations. People have different reactions to the tests inkblots, making it difficult to define a normal reaction. Essentially, the test can help a psychologist understand a persons thoughts and feelings, which is crucial in treating mental disorders.
Hermann Rorschach attended a conference where American psychologist John B. Watson presented his behaviorism theory- namely, animals are only instinctual and lack consciousness like humans do. Watsons behaviorist theory was considered controversial when it first came out because it implied that human beings are not any different than other creatures. As such, several researchers decided to create a test that would measure human beings abilities, similar to how animal tests measure animals abilities (Choca & Rossini, 2018). These researchers wanted to sidestep controversy by using an object that was familiar to all, namely inkblots. This way, even people with low intelligence could take the test and project their feelings onto the familiar object- an elephant would do the same if everyone saw it as a banana. My critique of a major weakness of the Rorschach is that it does not measure anything specific about a persons mind. Rather, it is based on what people project onto the inkblots, which may or may not be accurate.
The Tests History, Development, and Application in the Field
The Rorschach inkblot test is a psychological evaluation commonly used in psychotherapy. The test was originally designed by Swiss psychiatrist Dr. Herman Rorschach in 1921 (Choca & Rossini, 2018). However, the test has been around for much longer. Ancient Egyptians used a similar inkblot test to evaluate mental health, and the Chinese have been using the test for centuries to evaluate patients mental health. The name Inkblot test comes from the fact that each test subject is asked to help create an inkblot by making several mismatched mistakes on a sheet of paper. The subject is then asked to interpret the results while wearing heavy gloves to avoid influencing their interpretation. This way, the results can be assessed objectively and precisely (Cohen & Kalanthroff, 2019). The test is named after the character Rorschach from the popular Kafka novel Metamorphosis. In this novel, a man turns into an insect-like creature, and he attempts to explain his new form to his friend. In this way, Kafka referenced the old practice of allowing patients to interpret their symptoms to help them improve.
Many people find they have a unique insight into their personality when taking the Rorschach test. Each person interprets the inkblot differently based on past experiences and other factors. Therefore, several psychologists believe that an inked person can gain insight into their personality by interpreting the results of this exam (Mondal & Kumar, 2021). The interpretation can be subjective since the subject interprets their responses. At first, glance, taking this exam may seem like a confusing process that yields little useful information. However, understanding how people have interpreted these tests in the past can help us understand our responses.
People use the Rorschach test in many ways; it is one of the most versatile psychological exams ever invented. Psychologists widely use the Rorschach test in research to collect data on different subjects. For example, doctors use it when evaluating potential psychological problems in their patients (Arble et al., 2020). They ask subjects to fill out the exam themselves before performing medical procedures. Researchers have also used the test to understand peoples reactions to violence and sexual content in media libraries and online sources.
Interpreting ones responses during a Rorschach test can be insightful and provide therapeutic value. This is because it allows people to process responses they have experienced personally and collectively through speculation and imagination (Cherry & Gans, 2020). Therefore, examining past interpretations of this exam may help reveal trends in human nature that are currently unknown. Interpretations are constantly changing as new information becomes available due to advancements in technology and science. Although this test has seen many uses over many decades, its interpretations are still being discovered by humanity today.
Critique Strengths and how it helps
The Rorschach test has six major tasks for evaluating psychological health. Each task involves inspecting different images with a pen, pencil, or BleIN exam sheets. Here are some of the interpretations possible through this test in determining Personality types. By administering the Rorschach test many times, an individual can understand a persons habitual personality traits. The responses can show if someone has a paranoid, schizoid, introverted, or extroverted personality type (Bultman, 2020). These interpretations can help one understand how someone thinks and feels more clearly. Understanding another persons feelings is critical since it shows people how to react in certain situations. For example, a person with an introverted personality type may be more comfortable being alone, while an extroverted personality type may want to be around other people.
Each interpretation of the Rorschach test can also help someone understand their feelings and thoughts more. The interpretation describes a persons personality that they can relate to personally. Some find this helpful since it shows how their personality differs from most others. For instance, a person with paranoid personality tendencies may find it helpful to understand this (Bultman, 2020). The test is useful in determining abnormal psychology because it can show when a persons actions and thought processes are far off the norm. By identifying these abnormal traits, one can devise a possible treatment plan that will benefit the patient somehow. Understanding oneself through this test could help an individual better understand their purpose in life or the world.
Additionally, understanding ones thoughts and feelings more clearly helps them improve their relationships with others. It can help them change certain negative behaviors toward themselves. Changing perceptions about oneself could improve self-confidence, making it easier to interact with others (Roy et al., 2019). Some people have also used Rorschach interpretations to improve their social skills and peers interactions. However, it is important to realize that the test results might be more accurate if performed by a licensed professional.
Weaknesses and how it hurts
The main weakness is that test is subjective and can be misleading. Rorschach was introspective and self-analyzing when he created his Test for Personality Development in 1947 (Roy et al., 2019). He believed every person has positive and negative traits, so he designed his test to look at both sides of an individuals nature. However, some people have misinterpreted his work and applied it inappropriately, leading to troubling results. For example, if a person has dark skin and light skin spots on a sheet of paper, someone racist might see a black race, while someone who is not would see a white race. This is where the tests subjectivity comes in: someone racist might interpret a white race incorrectly.
There is also controversy surrounding how this test can be used against people with mental illnesses. There have been several instances where the inkblot test has been used against people with paranoid schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. This happens when someone who is not mentally ill submits to this test to determine if they are crazy or sane. In these cases, doctors interpret any dead spots or unclear spots on an inkblot as evidence of mental illness (Gonzalez, 2022). As a result, these people will not receive the necessary help for their conditions and they will be branded as paranoid instead of mentally ill. Anyone who has ever had an unexplained dead spot on their inkblots knows how cruel this can be.
Ultimately, the Rorschach inkblot test is flawed and can be harmful in its application to those not clinically mentally ill. This test should only be used by trained professionals when evaluating patients for medical conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Interpretations can vary widely depending on ones mental state, skin tone and other factors that are out of ones control (Gonzalez, 2022). As such, there are much better ways to determine if someone is mentally stable or unstable without submitting them to an outdated psychological assessment like the Rorschach inkblot test.
Sources of Bias
The main source of bias of the Rorschach test is that it lacks scientific value due to its subjective nature. In its simplest form, this test involves asking someone to fill a paper with ink dots. Afterwards, the sheet is scanned by a camera; the taker then interprets the resulting image. The interpretation can be subjective because the taker sees what he or she fears most which can lead to inaccurate results. Further, people interpret the inkblots differently based on their experiences and upbringing. This can lead to highly varying results when using the test on different groups of people.
Test interpretation can also be influenced by bias, an inherent tendency toward subconsciously favoring one thing over another (Bender, 2020). This includes favoring things that make you feel good and rejecting things that make you feel bad. Cultural norms can also influence interpretations based on fear; for example, interpretations in China of the Cultural Revolution will differ from those in America due to historical differences in how these two countries were affected. Gender norms and expectations can influence even interpretations between men and women.
Psychometrics: Reliability and Validity
There are many different ways to interpret the results from the Rorschach test. Interpretations can be done by a trained expert or someone who has taken the test themselves. There are several variations of how to interpret, such as using two projectors or one confident expert while having two less-confident experts look at each projection independently. The interpretations are based on each persons responses when taking the test (Bender, 2020). These include statements like I see in myself much that is harmful, I am aggressive, I have a tendency to become depressed, or I have trouble expressing myself. This can be seen as an indirect way of assessing the persons mental health and their chance of having certain disorders like bipolar, depression, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Choosing the right number of inkblots and other materials to take for the test is important. The number of inkblots one uses depends on how old the person taking the test is- younger people can handle more complex interpretations, while older people can handle fewer interpretations. People should consider how many people are taking the test together and how many responses each person will give when interpreting the tests (Bender, 2020). There is also a limit on how many times one can give the same interpretation; if there are too many matches between responses given by different people, it will increase error rates in their interpretation. One needs to consider these things when creating an exam for a group so everyone understands what they are supposed to do and what results they should expect.
The Rorschach test is valid since it has been used for more than 70 years to help psychologists understand mental disorders and assess mental health in patients. It is a way for people with similar thought processes to communicate their feelings and the emotional problems they are experiencing. It is also helpful for people interested in psychology who want to understand how their perceptions affect their emotions and decisions regarding their mental health (Bender, 2020). Everyone should know about this test since it is widely available and can be easily interpreted no matter what age or experience level someone has when interpreting it themselves or with an examiner alongside them.
Issues with Standardization and Norms in the Rorschach Inkblot Test
The name Rorschach comes from the Dutch word for ear, as the creator wanted to show both sides of an issue to the subject. The name is inclusive of both male and female interpretations of the test. In addition, scoring guidelines explain exactly how a person should score on each type of image so that interpretation is accurate and understandable. The complete name of the test is The Rorschach Inkblot Test: A Psycho-Analytic Examination. This name and scoring guidelines make it easy to understand which parts of the test are important and which are not.
The test consists of four parts: introduction, body, conclusions and appendices. Every part has ten items and must be answered within 15 minutes. There are no wrong or right answers; instead, there are different interpretive models that a person can use when answering the questions. This allows for easy modification depending on the needs of the subject. Modifications can also be made to the conditions under which a subject takes the test- whether in a clinical setting or at home. This is great for people with certain conditions who need extra help interpreting the test.
Rorschach started as a government-funded project at Yale University in 1943 but has since been commercialized as Learnology. The interpretive models have also been commercialized as Learnology versions 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0, respectively. Although some may argue that this commercialization devalues the original intent, others say they are necessary to ensure quality control and keep costs low for taxpayers (Teles, 2020). Each model has interpretive guidelines based on feedback from thousands of Rorschach interpretations over many years. This allows for an extremely high consistency between different models which is great for standardization but bad for privacy when anyone can purchase it.
Social and Cultural Issues impacting the Test
One ethical concern with using the Rorschach test for social purposes is that it takes too long for a subject to complete it. This means that an experimenter cannot just ask a subject to fill out a test; he must explain the tests purpose first and then give instructions on how to fill it out. This limits the number of tests that can be run per subject and limits how quickly tests can be run (Ales et al., 2020). There is also an ethical concern when using the results of a Rorschach test for mental health counselling or diagnosing mental illnesses. Filling out a test incorrectly may lead to a false hope that an individual has no serious issues- which could cause more harm than good when applied to real-life situations.
Additionally, because interpretations can vary so much between people from different backgrounds, it is important to consider these factors when interpreting responses to the Rorschach test yourself. It can be difficult to understand how certain responses make sense to an individual when they do not resonate with someone from their culture (Ales et al., 2020). Additionally, it is important to recognize when someone is dealing with mental health issues and interpret test responses accordingly. Anyone taking this assessment should do so with the understanding that their interpretation may differ from those with lived experience with mental health issues in similar ways.
Conclusion
Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist, is the creator of the Rorschach inkblot test. He developed the test to aid psychologists in understanding the unconscious mind. Many psychiatrists and psychologists still use this test to determine if a person is mentally stable. It is also used in education to show different interpretations of a message. Additionally, the test has been shown to help people with mental disorders, anxiety and schizophrenia. The test is a multipart examination with many possible interpretations. Each test part presents a series of inkblot images to the participant. The person then responds to the images by writing on paper. The response is interpreted based on each persons unique personality, history, and mental state. This test has proven effective in revealing early signs of mental disorders such as schizophrenia. It is also useful for helping people with anxiety or stress-related issues. Using this test on soldiers can help identify post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
There are certain changes that I would make if I were administering this psychological test myself or if I were interpreting one for another person. First, I would shorten the time required for each part of the test since some people need help to answer all questions within a reasonable amount of time. Next, I would include some questions that refer to specific facts from each takers background to increase my interpretative power when interpreting others results. I would also add some questions that consider how responses will affect future outcomes, create envisioned realities rather than present realities, or undo them immediately through negative emotional reactions.
There are several ways in which the Rorschach test could be improved. Interpretation is subjective; people will see different things when looking at the inkblots. This makes it difficult to interpret the results accurately. Additionally, there are many variations of the inkblot test; some people use them as psychological evaluations, while others use them as creative exercises. Some people have suggested making major changes to this classic test to make it more user-friendly. These include standardizing the size, shape and number of inkblots and eliminating verbal responses from the evaluation. Adapting these ideas would make the test more reliable without sacrificing its origins or significance.
References
Ales, F., Giromini, L., & Zennaro, A. (2020). Complexity and cognitive engagement in the Rorschach task: an eye-tracking study. Journal of Personality assessment, 102(4), 538-550. Web.
Arble, E., Steinert, S. W., & Daugherty, A. M. (2020). The application of the Rorschach Inkblot test in the study of neural and cognitive aging. Rorschachiana, 41(1), 1. Web.
Bender, S. (2020). The Rorschach Test. The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Measurement and Assessment, 367-376. Web.
Bultman, S. (2020). Seeing inside the child: The Rorschach inkblot test as assessment technique in a girls reform school, 19381948. History of Psychology, 23(4), 312. Web.
Cherry, K., & Gans, S. (2020). Rorschach Inkblot Psychological Test. Edited by Steven Gans, Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 17. Web.
Choca, J. P., & Rossini, E. D. (2018). Assessment using the Rorschach Inkblot Test. American Psychological Association. Web.
Cohen, E., & Kalanthroff, E. (2019). Visuospatial processing bias in ADHD: A potential artifact in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale and the Rorschach Inkblots Test. Psychological Assessment, 31(5), 699706. Web.
Gonzalez, K. X. (2022). An Exploratory Study of Intellectualization in the Rorschach Inkblot Test (Doctoral dissertation, Alliant International University). Web.
Mondal, A., & Kumar, M. (2021). Rorschach inkblot test and psychopathology among patients suffering from schizophrenia: A correlational study. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 30(1), 74. Web.
Roy, A. K., Nasreen, S., Majumder, D., Mahadevappa, M., Guha, R., & Mukhopadhyay, J. (2019). Development of Objective Evidence in Rorschach Ink Blot Test: An Eye Tracking Study. In 2019 41st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC) (pp. 1391-1394). IEEE. Web.
Teles, R. V. (2020). Hermann Rorschach: From klecksography to psychiatry. Dementia & Neuropsychologia, 14(1), 80-82. Web.
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