Projections of Who You Are Tiresha La Rue In 1922, Hermann Rorschach created a psychological test referring to the “Inkblot Test.” The article, “Projection of Who You are,” by Grune and Stratton, begins to explain this test by referring to the different types of possible underlying psychological conditions one may have. Rorschach’s theory believed that while the patient’s attention was to be directed on interpreting the random inkblot, their psychological defenses would be weakened. In return, this would allow normally hidden psyche issues to emerge. Since the stimulus (inkblot) could be perceived as anything, the interruption of the stimulus must come from the person them self. This was referred to as the interruption of accidental forms. In addition, he believed that the overall two outcomes of this was one, to reveal unconscious aspects of personality, and two later on diagnose varies types of psychopathy. He developed this test by throwing blotches of ink on pieces of paper folded in half. However, they still had to meet certain criteria. They had to be relatively simple,
symmetrical, and could possibly or somewhat be identify as an object of some sort. After a tremendous amount of testing, he developed ten forms of inkblots to make up his original test. These include a variety of black and white, multicolored, and black and red.
Rorschach would score the test by criteria regarding: 1. How many responses were made? How long did it take for the subject to respond, how many times did the subject refuse to respond? 2. Was the subjects response made because of the interruption of the shape of the figure? Or did it have to do with color and movement as well? 3. Was the figure seen as a whole? Or in separate parts and how were they interrupted? And lastly, what did the
subject see? Rorschach gave the test to multiple different groups. Ones including but did not limit , normal individuals, schizophrenic patients, and patients diagnosed with manic depression. The subjects generally gave about 15-30 total responses, schizophrenic with the least in responding at all, depressed subjects gave fewer answers, and happy subjects gave more. Overall, 25% to 50% responses involved insects or animals. Depressed subjects gave the highest response of seeing animals while artist gave the fewest. Rorschach announced that the test was not for the sole purpose of being used as a diagnostic tool or personality test, but a tool to assist the therapists understanding of their client. There have been critics of the test, determining if it really measured what Rorschach believed it did. The test is an extension of verbal interaction between the client and therapist, and therefore, they have furthermore tried to add more interrupters to the test. Such as families, gang members, etc.
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