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Table of Contents

History

Uses

Administration

Scoring

Interpretation

Criticisms

Still Used?

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The Rorschach inkblot test is a type of projective assessment in which subjects look at 10 ambiguous inkblot images and describe what they see in each one. The therapist then interprets the person’s answers.

Thisprojective testoften appears in popular culture and is frequently portrayed as a way of revealing a person’s unconscious thoughts, motives, or desires. Learn more about how the Rorschach inkblot test was developed, as well as how it is administered and scored.

History of the Rorschach Inkblot Test

One of Hermann Rorschach’s favorite games as a child was Klecksography, which involves creating inkblots and making up stories or poems about them.He enjoyed the game so much that his school friends nicknamed him “Klecks,” the German word for “inkblot.”

His interest in inkblots continued into adulthood. While working in a psychiatric hospital, Rorschach noticed that patients with schizophrenia responded to the blots differently from patients with other diagnoses. He began wondering if inkblots could be used to create profiles fordifferent mental disorders.

Rorschach wasn’t the first to suggest that a person’s interpretation of an ambiguous scene might reveal hidden aspects of that individual’s personality.Alfred Binetalso experimented with the idea of using inkblots to test creativity and originally planned to include inkblots in his intelligence tests.

Uses of the Rorschach Inkblot Test

The Rorschach test is used inpsychotherapy and counseling, although not as frequently as in the past.Practitioners use it to gain qualitative information about their patients, helping them learn more about the patients' personalities, emotional functioning, and thought patterns.

The results of the inkblot test serve as a springboard to further discussion about issues patients purportedly illustrate. For instance, the Rorschach has been shown to help assess the personality structure ofpatients with schizophrenia.

Likewise, organizations sometimes use this test to measure people’s attributes such as creativity, intelligence, and temperament. Its results can help them decide the person’s suitability for employment, whether to allow acceptance into an organization, or if adoption approval is appropriate.

Administration of the Rorschach Inkblot Test

There are 10 official inkblots in the Rorschach test, each printed on separate white cards. Five inkblots are black and gray; two are black, gray, and red; and three are multicolored without any black.

During administration, the examiner will sit next to you. This helps them see what you see. The test involves certain steps:

Scoring the Rorschach Inkblot Test

So what exactly do interpreters of the Rorschach test look for when analyzing responses to the inkblots? The actual content of the responses is one thing, but other factors are essential as well.

Content

Content refers to the name or class of objects used in your responses. Some common contents include:

Some responses are quite common, while others may be much more unique. Highly atypical responses are notable since they might indicatedisturbances in thought patterns.

Location

Identifying the location of your response is another element scored in the Rorschach system. Location refers to how much of the inkblot you used to answer the question.

Determinants

Determinant coding is one of the most complex features of scoring the Rorschach test. This is where the examiner considers the reasonswhyyou see what you see. What inkblot features helped determine your response and how?

There are six broad categories of inkblot determinants you could be responding to:

For example, if you report seeing a flower in Card 8 because of the red color, your examiner may code that response as color determinant. Each category has subcategories and there are at least 26 possible determinant codes. More than one determinant can be used in a single response.

On average, it takes about 1.5 hours to administer and score the Rorschach test.

Interpretation of the Rorschach Inkblot Test

Interpreting a Rorschach record is a complex process. It requires a wealth of knowledge concerningpersonality dynamicsin general, as well as considerable experience with the Rorschach method specifically.

In addition to formal scores, Rorschach interpretation is also based on behaviors expressed during the testing, patterns of scores across responses, unique or consistent themes in the responses, and unique or idiosyncratic perceptions.

A relatively fast response might indicate being at ease with others and comfortable with social relationships. A delayed response, however, might reveal that the individualstruggles with social interactions.

Criticisms of the Rorschach Inkblot Test

Despite its popularity, the Rorschach is a controversial test.Many of the criticisms center on how the test is scored and whether the results have any diagnostic value.

Multiple Scoring Systems

Before 1970, there were as many as five scoring systems that differed so dramatically that they essentially represented five different versions of the test. In 1974, John Exner published a comprehensive new scoring system that combined the strongest elements of the earlier systems.

The Exner scoring system is now the standard approach used in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the Rorschach test.

Some experts caution, however, that since the Exner scoring system contains errors, clinicians might be prone to over-diagnosing psychotic disorders if they rely heavily on Exner’s system.

Lacks Reliability

Another key criticism of the Rorschach is that it lacks reliability.Reliability meansyou get the same results no matter who is scoring the test. Scoring relies heavily on examiner interpretation. Because of this, two examiners can arrive at very different conclusions when looking at the same person’s responses.

Poor Validity

In addition to early criticism of the inconsistent scoring systems, detractors also find fault with its validity.In other words,does it measure what it claimsto measure? In this case, can the Rorschach correctly assess personality characteristics and emotional functioning?

Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding no. Research shows that while Rorschach can help with thediagnosis of schizophreniaandbipolar disorder, it is less valuable when diagnosing other mental health disorders such asmajor depressive disorder,anxiety disorders, andconduct disorders.

Is the Rorschach Still Used?

Today, some psychologists dismiss the Rorschach as merely a relic of psychology’s past. They view it as apseudoscience on par with phrenology.

Others recognize that though the inkblot test may not be a perfect tool, it still has uses. It is still used often for diagnosing schizophrenia, for example, which was Rorschach’s original intent for the test.The test is used in a variety of settings, such as in schools, hospitals, and courtrooms.

Types of Personality Tests

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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Teles RV.Hermann Rorschach: From klecksography to psychiatry.Dement Neuropsychol. 2020;14(1):80-82. doi:10.1590/1980-57642020dn14-010013

Wellington A, Wellington J.Hermann Rorschach (c.1884-1922): pioneer of inkblot personality tests.Brit J Psychiatry. 2022;220(5):302. doi:10.1192/bjp.2021.170

American Psychological Association.APA psychological test collection.

Mondal A, Kumar M.Rorschach inkblot test and psychopathology among patients suffering from schizophrenia.Indust Psychiatry J. 2021;30(1):74-83. doi:10.4103/ipj.ipj_74_20

Tilottama M, Sreetama C.Revisiting the Rorschach controversy: The Rorschach test - a Ghost of the past or a bearer of further promise?J Project Psychol Mental Health. 2019;26(2):118-127.

Exner JE, Weiner IB.The Rorschach: A Comprehensive System.

Mukherjee T, Chatterjee S.Revisiting the Rorschach controversy: The Rorschach Test- A ghost of the past or a bearer of further promise?J Project Psychol Mental Health.2019;26(2):118-127.

Areh I, Verkampt F, Allan A.Critical review of the use of the Rorschach in European courts.Psychiatry Psychol Law. 2022;29(2):183-205. doi:10.1080/13218719.2021.1894260

Gurley JR.Essentials of Rorschach assessment: Comprehensive system and R-PAS.

Mondal A, Kumar M.Rorschach inkblot test and psychopathology among patients suffering from schizophrenia: A correlational study.Ind Psychiatry J. 2021;30(1):74-83. doi:10.4103/ipj.ipj_74_20

O’Roark AM.History and Directory: Society for Personality Assessment Fiftieth Anniversary.

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