The Rorschach is what psychologists call
a projective test
. The basic idea of this is that when a person is shown an ambiguous, meaningless image (ie an inkblot) the mind will work hard at imposing meaning on the image.
What kind of assessment is the Rorschach?
Rorschach test, also called Rorschach inkblot test,
projective method of psychological testing
in which a person is asked to describe what he or she sees in 10 inkblots, of which some are black or gray and others have patches of colour. The test was introduced in 1921 by Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach.
What does the Rorschach inkblot test?
The Rorschach test is
a psychological test in which subjects’ perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation
, complex algorithms, or both. Some psychologists use this test to examine a person’s personality characteristics and emotional functioning.
What type of test is the Rorschach and why is it controversial?
The ink blots are
a projective test
; patients are asked to interpret the patterns for a psychologist or psychiatrist. As a subjective test, there are no official right or wrong answers, but test-givers do have a list of what are called normed responses — the most common answers.
Is the Rorschach test standardized?
For decades, the Rorschach test was rarely applied methodically, with variations according to the analyst’s judgment. But in the 1960s, John Exner designed a rigorous methodology to standardize the test and its results.
Currently, the test is systematic even in the positions of analyst and subject
.
Is Rorschach test still used?
Today, some psychologists dismiss the Rorschach as merely a relic of psychology’s past, a pseudoscience on par with phrenology. However, though the inkblot test may not be a perfect tool, it continues to be used widely,
particularly for diagnosing schizophrenia
—which was Rorschach’s original intent for the test.
What do schizophrenics see in Rorschach?
In pathognomic signs in Rorschach responses,
mutilation, response impotence, confabulation, perplexity, position response, contamination
, and self reference was higher among patients with mania while perseveration response was higher in paranoid schizophrenia.
Why do psychologists use ink blots?
Many psychologists use Rorschach inkblots
to gauge personality and measure emotional stability
. They’re often used as character evidence in civil court proceedings and parole hearings and as a way of diagnosing mental illness in a clinical setting.
What is the most widely used personality test it actually can measure disorders?
The MMPI
is the most frequently used and most extensively researched psychological assessment tool. It is used extensively to help doctors and therapists screen for and diagnose mental health conditions.
What is the meaning of Rorschach?
Noun. 1. Rorschach –
a projective tests using bilaterally symmetrical inkblots
; subjects state what they see in the inkblot.
How accurate is Rorschach test?
Rorschach was clear that his test measured disordered thinking (as found in schizophrenia) and
this has never been disputed
. But whether it accurately measures personality as well is up for debate. Finally, critics have suggested that the Rorschach lacks reliability.
What is the problem with the Rorschach test?
There are generally two problems with these tests:
scoring reliability and validity
. A measure is reliable when different people who tabulate the responses arrive at similar conclusions; all three psychological measures showed problematic or even poor reliability, according to the researchers.
Why does Rorschach’s mask move?
To Kovacs the mask is Rorschach’s face. To Rorschach, it’s the (symmetrical) horrors of the world that are coming back to judge evil doers. What he calls his freedom “
to scrawl own design on this morally blank world
.” This is the reason the patterns are ever changing. The design changes with “heat & pressure”.
Why is the Rorschach test criticized?
With the exception of schizophrenia and similarly severe thought disorders, the Rorschach
fails to spot any common mental illnesses accurately
. The list of what it fails to diagnose includes depression, anxiety disorders, psychopathic personality, and violent and criminal tendencies.
How long does the Rorschach take to administer?
Designed primarily for adults, though normative data also is available for adolescents and children. The
association portion requires 10-15 minutes
; the inquiry portion requires another 20-30 minutes; scoring and interpretation can take as long as 2 hours depending on the number and complexity of responses.
What is the sentence completion test used for?
a test in which the participant must complete an unfinished sentence by filling in the specific missing word or phrase. The test is typically used
to evaluate personality
. The participant is presented with an introductory phrase to which he or she may respond in any way.
