Rorschach Inkblot Test Research Paper: Analysis & Evaluation
Psychological tests are systematic procedures administered to individuals or groups of people to identify and examine their behaviors or performances in particular situations. They are primarily used to measure differences between people or changes in the same individual over time. They may be written, visual, or verbal and are used with a numerical scale or a category system. Psychological tests are used for diagnosis, self-discovery, and judging progress and trends. Various psychological tests measure human brain development, including intelligence, personality, attitude, neuro-psychology, achievement, and aptitude tests (Tackett et al., 2019). A good psychology test should be objective, reliable, valid, and practical. The tests can either be objective or projective. In objective tests, respondents respond yes or no to structured instructions, while respondents in projective tests impose their understanding and interpretation of the answer. The Rorschach Inkblot test is a progressive test used in different settings to assess peoples’ personalities.
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Test Identification/ Test Name
The Rorschach Inkblot test is a projective test developed in 1921 and named after the psychologist who created it, Hermann Rorschach.
Purpose of the Test
It is primarily used to measure thought disorders to identify mental illness. It is a personality test used to diagnose mental conditions like Schizophrenia. It measures an individual’s personality types and traits and is mainly used for research and clinical purposes in psychotherapy and counselling (Mihura et al., 2022).
Intended Users and Settings (Clinical Practice, Industry, etc.)
Practitioners use it to gain information from their patients, such as their thinking patterns, personalities, and emotional functioning. Organizations also use the test to recruit talent by evaluating candidates’ suitability for employment through the test results. The results show creativity, intelligence, and temperament levels, which dictate if a candidate is suitable for a particular role. It is also used in schools and courtrooms. It assesses candidates’ personalities and strengths which may suggest the best subjects to pursue. At the same time, it may be used in courts to evaluate whether a suspect is likely to have committed the crime based on their thinking patterns.
Test Description and Format (Multiple choice, Open-ended Questions, Cards with Pictures)
The Rorschach Inkblot test uses ten bilaterally symmetrical inkblot cards shown to subjects in a similar order so they can identify what the image contains. The inkblots are printed on different white cards. Five inkblots are black and grey, two are black, grey, and red, and the three have different colors except black (Frothingham, 2021). Check appendix A for the inkblot images. The steps in the test include an examiner showing the subject one card and asking them to identify and interpret what is drawn on the card. The subject interprets the ambiguous image and gives as many responses as possible. The examiner then records every response and notes the time taken for the response, the subject’s facial and emotional expressions, and the position in which the subject held the card. Once the subject goes through all the inkblots, the examiner takes the subject through the cards again to get new information. The second round also enables the examiner to see what the subject earlier identified in the first round as the subject describes the features that made them identify the particular figure (Viglione et al., 2022). Subjects’ depiction of the images tells the examiner about them.
Sub-scales- Names and Meanings of Each Sub-scale
The Rorschach subscales include the Rorschach Oral Dependency (ROD) scale and the Rorschach Prognostic Rating Scale (RPRS). The ROD measures the degree to which people see food, aggressive, and dependency images on the inkblots and is highly dependent on the subjects’ responses. On the other hand, RPRS provides a prognosis for psychotherapy change by considering a person’s ego strength. RPRS is useful when predicting the manifestation of depression, anxiety, and hallucinations during treatment.
Scoring System Including Description of Computer Scoring
The Rorschach test scoring is based on content, determinant, and location responses, where each response has specific codes. The three are used to score the test data based on responses. The test also incorporates other variables, like the time to interpret the data. For instance, if a subject takes longer on one card, it may indicate shock. Other comments by the subject apart from the direct response are also used in scoring.
Content
Content describes the name or class of objects used by subjects to identify the images. There are various classes, such as nature, animal features, whole human, human features, fictional or mythical human detail, and sex. While these are some of the most common words used by subjects, other unfamiliar content words that may be used should be labelled idiographic contents (Idiom). Content alone cannot be used to conclude a subject’s personality as the subject can consciously control the response.
Determinant
This describes factors that show the similarity between the inkblot image and the subject’s response. The subject explains to the examiner the inkblot’s features that made him respond to the certain content so that the examiner can also see it. The determinant concept is the complex part of the test. Broad categories of the inkblot determinants are form, color, movement, shading, pairs, and reflection. Every category has a sub-category with more than twenty-six possible determinant codes. A subject’s content response may be due to more than one determinant, and the fusion of two determinants is also considered. However, the determinant that was the main contributor is also identified.
Location
It addresses the inkblot part that a subject used to identify the image on the inkblot, whether they used the whole image or a part of the image. Codes used include W, D, Dd, and S. W means the whole inkblot was used to identify an image. D shows that a commonly described inkblot’s part was used, Dd shows an unusual detail or part was used, and S means that the background’s white space was used.
The test uses the Exner Scoring system, also identified as the Rorschach Comprehensive System (RCS), to interpret and analyze test results. The system has been widely validated, and most users agree it is highly reliable. The system focuses on the subject’s processing of information, identifying and transforming information, and their generation and communication of new ideas.
The system scores responses depending on their vagueness, synthesis of images on the inkblot, the response’s location, determinants (features making the inkblot resemble what was described), form quality (how the response corresponds to the actual inkblot’s looks), and the response’s content. The examiner calculates the scores to generate the data’s structural summary. Existing research on personality characteristics is used to interpret the structural summary report. The subject’s response is mainly noted as either commonly or uncommonly selected.
The Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS) has also been developed for use instead of the Exner system. Even though R-PAS is still in review, a study by Pianowski et al. (2019) shows it offers more benefits than the Exner system. R-PAS eliminates the need for re-administration and is more valid and reliable. In addition, it is based on scientific research, unlike the Exner system.
The test is also offered online, where subjects select the choice with the closest description of what they see in the image. Computer programs have been developed to quickly, accurately, and objectively process inkblot test results. An example of such a program is the Rorschach Interpretation Assistance Program version 5 (RIAP5), which utilizes scoring variables and indexes from the Comprehensive System Workbook. The program scores results of people between five and seventy years. Once a subject’s coded responses and demographic information are entered, the program generates a structural summary that can be interpreted.
How the Results Are Generally Interpreted
After showing all the cards, the examiner or psychologist codes the subject’s responses. Subjects commonly use some responses when identifying an image in a certain inkblot. Thus, a code identifies each response, for example, H to describe a human figure, Hd- a human detail, or Na for nature or weather-related parts. Interpreting the results is usually complex and requires knowledge of personality dynamics. The formal scores, behaviors expressed during the test, and unique themes in the subject’s responses are also used in interpretation. For example, a subject’s fast response may indicate comfortability around others and in social relationships, while a slow response may show that a person is uncomfortable with social interactions.
Generally, many sexual responses from a subject may indicate Schizophrenia, and few may show sexual frustration. Some response details, such as feminine clothes, buttocks, and male and female genitals, are associated with homosexuality. Responses with mirror images show a person’s self-reflection and thoughtfulness which may be a sign of narcissism. Such a response differentiates psychopaths from normal people and can be helpful in criminal cases. Food responses may show addiction, while responses using the entire inkblot image may indicate leadership qualities and intelligence.
Responses where an inkblot’s particular detail has been focused on indicate alertness or paranoia. Responses indicating movement in an immobile inkblot indicate creativity and intelligence. Color responses show great emotional awareness and expression, while color shades responses indicate depression, stress, and anxiety. Subjects with Schizophrenia may give less common responses and poorly perceive the inkblots. Generally, certain responses to specific cards inform examiners of the subjects’ behaviors and personalities. The table below shows some of the common responses on inkblots and the moods they indicate.
| Cluster | Rorschach Responses | Moods |
| A | Bat, Blood | Fear |
| B | Butterfly, | Ambition |
| C | Fur | Love |
| D | Cave, Clouds, Mask | Depression |
| E | Mountains | Security |
| F | Fire, Rock, Smoke | Anger |
Ease of Use- Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation
While administering the Rorschach Inkblot test may seem manageable compared to scoring and interpreting the test results, all the test phases are complex procedures requiring scanning the stimuli, comparing potential inkblot images to the mental representation of objects, and filtering out responses. The scoring process requires knowledge of codes used in the test. The process is time-consuming and complex due to the many dimensions observed. A high level of expertise, especially inquiry skills, is required from the examiners to prevent errors in coding subjects’ responses (Rosso & Camoirano, 2022). The Exner system, the standard approach in administering, scoring, and interpreting the test, is difficult for a beginner and requires extensive knowledge of the system by the examiner to successfully conduct the test.
Cost of Various Forms of Test and Where to Obtain
The most common form of the Rorschach test is the Harrower-Erickson Multiple Choice Rorschach Test, primarily used with groups of participants. The test is available online for free, and a subject selects a choice that best describes their depiction of the inkblot from multiple choices. The physical test is also sold online, with the complete test set having the inkblots, recording and analyzing blanks, code and location charts, and a thorough compilation of responses. The test price ranges from US$100- 250 on various online shopping sites such as WPS and Amazon. The prices may be higher depending on the set details and test edition offered by the seller. Below is a chart showing the scores of people who took the test, with more than 25% scoring two. The scale of 0-10 indicates the number of answers selected by an individual, which people with psychology disorders mostly select. Thus the graph shows the majority of people choosing two answers commonly given by people with personality disorders.
III. Psychometric Information
Test Reliability and Validity, Including Reviews of Major Studies Done with The Test
The Rorschach test has been criticized for its lack of reliability and validity. Reliability refers to the consistency of the test results when used by various examiners, while validity refers to the extent a test measures what it is supposed to measure. Different examiners using the Rorschach test may diagnose a patient differently even though they used the same subject’s responses. The test’s reliability is challenging because of the different methods of administering it, coding, and interpreting the results (Mihura et al., 2017). First, the test’s administration is vague, allowing subjects to respond to ambiguous inkblots freely. Thus the examiner’s presentation of the inkblot, whether vertical or horizontal, influences a subject’s response. A study by Wilson and Braaten (2018) suggests that the test’s overall reliability is around 0.80. The test-retest reliabilities range from 0.26 to 0.91. Viglione et al. (2022) also confirm that the test reliability is 0.83 and higher.
According to Zare et al. (2022), the Rorschach test’s validity is low because it is only valuable for diagnosing bipolar disorders and Schizophrenia but cannot fully establish cases of anxiety disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), narcissism, and suicidal attempts. The test showed a validity coefficient of 0.45 and higher. Overall, critics speculate that the test’s validity depends on the variable the test is used to investigate. As such, the test is valid in identifying Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders but not anxiety and depression. Mukherjee and Chatterjee (2019) also confirm that research is valid when used correctly. Although the Rorschach scale has shown moderate validity in identifying thought disorders, it does not show additional validity in providing more information on diagnoses by psychologists. Results from the test can be achieved through more uncomplicated measures, making most psychologists forfeit conducting the test. The graph below shows the diagnostic efficiency of the Rorschach schizophrenia (SCZI) and depression indices (DEPI) in identifying the first episodes of Schizophrenia and severe depression. It shows a high validity of SCZI in identifying Schizophrenia’s first episodes and DEPI in identifying mild depression. However, the two indices perform poorly in identifying severe depression.
Test of Normative Data- How the Data was Accumulated, for What Groups, Assessment of the Data’s Adequacy
Normative data characterizes what is expected in a specific population at a particular time or point. Such data forms the foundation for a measurement or score against which other measurements and scores can be compared. The study by Ruiter and Smid (2017) involved a Rorschach test on a sample of 108 normative subjects from the Netherlands. The study used matching variables of age, educational level, gender, marital status, and religion. All samples used had valid Rorschach protocols. Responses were recorded by hand, and colored location sheets were used to note blot locations for each subject. The data obtained was adequate because any subject with less than 14 responses had the test re-administered. The interrater reliability in the study was excellent, with a mean coefficient of 0.86, similar to most of the studies that had previously been conducted in the United States. However, the study could use a bigger sample of around 250 people.
Summary, Impressions, and Critique
A study by Mondal and Kumar (2021) expounded on the correlation between the test and psychopathology in schizophrenic patients. It assessed the relationship between the Rorschach test response pattern with different patterns in schizophrenic patients. The study used a sample of 100 schizophrenic patients between 25 and 45 years. Rorschach protocols were then scored using the Exner Comprehensive System. The results showed a dramatic positive and negative correlation between Rorschach indices with positive and negative schizophrenia symptoms. However, the study used a relatively small sample of schizophrenia patients, and a study could be conducted with more samples as it is a normative study. In addition, the study could also focus on other disorders and not Schizophrenia only.
A General Assessment of the Usefulness of the Test, How You Might Find the Test of Benefit in Your Practice, Critique of Test Flaws, Testing Bias, And Recommendations with Regard to Future Test Revisions
The Rorschach test is helpful in psychological evaluations as it provides data on various cognition and personality variables like personal perceptions, motivations, cognitive operations, and response tendencies (Carmela et al., 2020). It would be helpful in a practice in identifying things that people may not willingly reveal, which provides areas for further discussion on the identified issues. Thus it provides valuable information that therapists can explore with the subjects. It effectively identifies how an individual’s mind works and uncovers their personality and mental disorders.
The test is also valuable for practices as it can be used with other tests to identify multiple disorders. However, the test has various flaws, like its inability to identify mental health issues correctly. This can be attributed to different interpretations by psychologists and examiners, which leaves an error margin in the test results. The test is also unreliable because the answers are online, and a subject may go through the answers before heading for the test. Thus, the chances of misdiagnosis are high with the test. In addition, the Exner system has been identified to contain errors increasing examiners’ chances to over-diagnose a subject if they heavily rely on the system (Mihura et al., 2018).
The system lacks scientific backup in some of its interpretations. For instance, it is not scientifically proven that identifying feminine and male features on the inkblots shows that a person is a homosexual, which is purported in the test. The test is fully susceptible to an examiner’s bias which influences the test results accuracy. Test interpreters focus on details like the inkblot location that subjects focus on when responding, which is challenging because other factors influence the subjects’ perception, affecting the response and interpretation (Areh et al., 2021). The best way to improve the test is by revising the Exner Scoring system. It should be made less complicated and time-consuming and more objective. Other scoring systems can be used to administer and interpret the test.
Examples of Actual Use if Available
I am yet to use the Rorschach Test in my practice. Thus, there is no example of the test’s actual use.
Conclusion
The Rorschach test is valuable in clinical settings for personality diagnoses. It has also been used in the identification of thought disorders in an individual. Test administration, scoring, and interpretation are complex and should only be done by a trained psychologist or examiner. While the test is one of the most useful, it is surrounded by controversy due to interpretation bias and the availability of the test answers online, which may lead to the wrong diagnosis. While it is one of the tests providing more helpful information on people’s thoughts, it fails to diagnose various mental illnesses, limiting its usefulness accurately. One way to improve the test is revising the Exner system to be more objective which increases the test’s validity. Overall, the test is still used in clinical settings in identifying and treating schizophrenic patients.
References
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Carmela, M., Irene, P. D., Clara, L., & Catena, S. M. (2020). Cognitive deficits and Rorschach task. Cogent Psychology, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2020.1848111
Frothingham, M. B. (2021, October 6). Rorschach Inkblot Test: Definition, History & Interpretation – Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/what-is-the-rorschach-inkblot-test.html
Mihura, J. L., Bombel, G., Dumitrascu, N., Roy, M., & Meadows, E. A. (2018). Why We Need a Formal Systematic Approach to Validating Psychological Tests: The Case of the Rorschach Comprehensive System. Journal of Personality Assessment, 101(4), 374–392. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2018.1458315
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Appendix A
The Rorschach Test Inkblot Images
