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Psychology of the Rorschach blot. Black and gray color. Localization features of interpretation

Back in 1921, a psychiatrist and psychologist from Switzerland, Hermann Rorschach, created a personality test named after him - Rorschach test, also known under the names: “Rorschach blots or blots”, as well as the “inkblot technique”, which is still quite in demand and popular among psychologists and psychotherapists in diagnosing the psyche, its disorders and disorders.

The term “Psychodiagnostics” was also coined by Rorschach.

The stimulus material of the Rorschach projective test consists of 10 amorphous (weakly structured) black-and-white and color pictures, the so-called. Rorschach spots, symmetrical along the axis and located in a certain order from 1 to 10.

Take the Rorschach test online

Take the Rorschach test online possible only in a truncated form, because in order to obtain real psychodiagnostic results, an examination is necessary in the presence of a psychologist, and even in conjunction with others, including clinical studies and interviewing the subject. In this case, the person being tested, looking at the image, the Rorschach blot, uses free associations and says the first thing that comes to mind: a word, an image, a concept...

What a person “sees” in a blot (ink stain) will help determine the characteristics of his personality and psyche - the norm and deviations, up to personality, neurotic disorders and pathology.

So, take the Rorschach test online for free

Now, if you are ready, you can go through Rorschach test online, free in a truncated version...
You are asked to answer questions about what you think each picture or Rorschach blot looks like.

Attention! For the purity of the Rorschach test study, first, in order, look at each blot and, based on personal associations, tell yourself (preferably write down) what comes to your mind: what the Rorschach blot reminds you of, what it looks like...
Then, at the end of the content (page), select the definitions that suit your associations by the number of each ink. Click on the result button and find out a lot about your personality.

Those who want to take the famous Rorschach test with the participation of a psychologist, for example via Skype, and receive the most reliable personality studies together with psychoanalysis, can SIGN UP for online psychodiagnostics from the main page of the site.

Rorschach inkblot technique - take the test

Blob No. 1

Blot No. 2

Blob No. 3

Blob No. 4

Blob No. 5

Blot No. 6

Blot No. 7

Blob No. 8

Blob No. 9

Blob No. 10

The Rorschach test ("Rorschach blots") is a psychological projection test containing 10 printed cards (5 black and white, 5 color). It was created in 1921 and published by psychologist Hermann Rorschach in the journal Psychodiagnostik. During the 1940s and 1950s, this test was integrally associated with clinical psychology.

During much of the 20th century, the Rorschach test was very common and well interpreted. psychological test. For example, in studies from 1947 (Louttit and Browne) and 1961 (Sundberg), it was ranked as the fourth and first psychological test, respectively, in terms of frequency of use.

Despite its widespread use, the Rorschach test has been associated big number contradictions. Researchers have often had difficulty studying the test and its results systematically, and the use of several different scoring systems for the responses given to each image has created some confusion.

"Rorschach stains" or a test for psychopaths

Life is a hall of mirrors, an amalgam, a Rorschach test, you see in it only what is inside you.
Al Quotion. Collocation

The Story of Rorschach

Hermann Rorschach never told anyone how he came up with the idea for the test. However, like many figures of that time, he often played popular game Blotto (Clexography), in which associations associated with verses are selected or charades are created using inkblots.

Cards with such ready-made inkblots could be easily purchased in stores at that time. In addition, his close personal friend and teacher Konrad Goering could have suggested using these spots as a psychological tool.

When Eugen Bleuler coined the term "schizophrenia" in 1911, Rorschach became interested in the topic and wrote a dissertation on hallucinations (Bleuler was Rorschach's dissertation chairman). While working with patients suffering from schizophrenia, Rorschach accidentally discovered that they reacted differently to Blotto's game than other people.

He did short report about his discovery in the local psychiatric society, but then that was all. It was only after he opened a psychiatric practice at the Russian Crombaz hospital in Herisau in 1917 that he became interested in systematically studying the Blotto game.

In his studies from 1918 to 1921, Rorschach used about 40 inkblots, but only 15 of them were regularly used on his patients. Ultimately, he collected data from 405 subjects (117 were not his patients, and he used them as a control group).

His evaluation method did not focus on the content of the answers, but on classifying the answers according to their various characteristics. To do this, he used a set of codes - today called ratings - to determine whether the answer applied to the entire image (W), to a large part of it (D), or to a smaller detail. A score of F was used for a response related to the shape of the detail of the spot, and a score of C indicated that the color of the spot was included in the response.

In 1919-1921 he tried to find a publisher to publish his discoveries and the regularly used 15 inkblot cards. However, all publishers refused to publish all 15 stain images due to the cost of printing. Finally, in 1921, he found a publisher - House of Bircher - willing to publish his spots, but only 10 of them. Rorschach revised his manuscript to include only the 10 most commonly used blots out of 15.

Alas, printing was not enough High Quality, for the correct transfer of the original stains. The original Rorschach blots had no halftones - they were pure colors. Reproducing them in print added nuance. But rumor has it that Rorschach was quite pleased with this new addition to his stains. After publishing a monograph entitled Form Interpretation Test, he died in hospital in 1922 due to abdominal pain. Rorschach lived only 37 years, and he formally worked on his inkblot tests for only four years.

Scoring systems in the Rorschach test

Until the 1970s, there were five main systems for rating the responses given by people who see these spots. Among them, two systems dominated - the Beck and Klopfer systems. The other three systems were used less frequently. These were the systems of Hertz, Piotrovsky and Rapaport-Shafer. In 1969, John E. Exner, Jr. published the first comparison of these five systems, entitled The Rorschach Systems.

The revelation of Exner's stunning analysis was that there were, in fact, no five grading systems for Rorschach blots. Exner concluded that these five systems differed from each other so greatly and significantly that it could be considered that five different "Rorschach tests" were created. It's time to go back to the drawing board.

Following his alarming discovery, Exner set out to create a new, comprehensive Rorschach scoring system that would combine the best components of these five existing systems, supplementing them with extensive empirical research each component.

The work began in 1968 and included important research into creating a new system for rating Rorschach blots. As a result, in 1973, Exner published the first edition of The Rorschach: A Comprehensive System. In this work he presented new system assessments, which has become the new gold standard (and the only assessment system taught to psychologists today).

What does the Rorschach test measure?

The Rorschach blot test was not originally intended to be a projective measure of personality characteristics. Instead, he had to build a personality profile of a person with schizophrenia (or other mental disorder), based on frequency estimates.

Rorschach himself was skeptical about using his test to projectively measure personality characteristics.

The Rorschach test, at its most basic level, is a task that provides a reflection of the psychology of the person taking the test, as well as establishing some level of understanding of the patient's past and future behavior.

Patients often use imagination to formulate an answer, but the underlying process of solving this problem has little to do with imagination or creativity.

How is the Rorschach test performed?

The person taking the test is given a card with a spot printed on it and asked, “What could it be?” Responses are usually recorded verbatim (today recording devices are used for this) because they will later be assessed by a psychologist.

Exner divided the subject's answer to the question of what is shown on the map into three primary phases:

In phase 1, while a person is looking at the map, his brain is encoding the stimulus (the spot) and all its details. It then categorizes the stimuli and their parts, and the brain develops an informal ordering (ranking) of possible responses.
In phase 2, the person discards possible answers that have a low rank and checks the remaining answers that seem suitable to him.
In phase 3, the person selects some of the filtered answers based on characteristic features, styles or other sources of influence.

If a person reacts to the general contours of the spot, then, according to Exner, there is a slight projection. However, when the subject begins to embellish his answer, or adds more information than was originally provided to him, this may be a sign of what is happening in this moment projections. In other words, a person tells the psychologist something about himself, or about his life, because he goes beyond the characteristics of the spot itself.

Mirror reflections are not much different from Rorschach tests
-
looking at them, we become a victim of our own myopia or our fears.
Ray Bradbury. Midnight Dragon Dance

After the patient goes through all ten spots for the first time and tells the psychologist what he sees in each spot, the psychologist should again offer each spot to the person, asking the person taking the test to help the psychologist see what the person saw when he first answered. It is here that the psychologist receives certain details for a clearer understanding of what different aspects and where exactly the subject saw in each spot.

Rorschach test score

Scoring the Rorschach test is a very complex task that requires good preparation and experience in administering the test. Only professional psychologists are properly trained and have the experience necessary to correctly interpret the results.

Thus, any “Rorschach test” that you can take online on the Internet, or that is performed/interpreted by a specialist in another discipline, may produce unreliable results or be of little benefit.

Exner's scoring system checks every aspect of the answer - from how many spots are used, to what history is associated with the answer (if provided by the answerer), to the level of detail and type of content of the answer. The assessment begins by examining the quality of the response's elaboration—in other words, how well it is constructed and whether the response is routine, vague, or arbitrary.

The basis of evaluation is related to the encoding of the response in accordance with all the characteristics of the spot that are involved in the formation of the response.

The following characteristics are encoded:

Form.
Movement - whether movement appears in the response.
Chromatic color is when the response uses color.
Achromatic color - when the answer uses only black, white, or grey colour.
Halftone texture - when the response uses texture.
Halftone dimension - when the answer uses dimensions related to semitones.
Halftone scattering is when halftones are used in the answer.
Shape dimension - when the answer uses dimensions other than halftones.
Pairs and reflections - when the answer uses pairs or reflections.

Because many people give complex and detailed answers to the question of what they see in spots, the scoring system uses the concept of "mixtures" to account for complex answers. These mixtures take into account multiple objects or the method used to describe an object.

Organizational response activity assesses how well the response is organized. Finally, it performs an assessment of shape quality - that is, how well the answer matches the spot itself (depending on how the person taking the test describes it). If the spot looks like a bear, and the person describes it as a bear, then it may have an "ordinary" form quality - quite acceptable, but not showing much creativity or originality.

There are, of course, many popular responses to spots that resemble objects or creatures real life. The Exner scoring system takes this into account by providing extensive tables for each card containing common responses and how they can be coded.

Pictures of Rorschach "blots"

Interpretation of the Rorschach test

After the responses to each card are correctly coded by the psychologist, an interpretive report is formulated based on the response ratings. This report combines the results obtained from all test answers so that the combined answer cannot distort the test results.

First, the psychologist checks the adequacy of the test, resistance to stress, and the amount of resources available to the person taking the test, comparing them with the requirements imposed on the patient at this time.

Next, the psychologist must examine the individual's cognitive functioning, accuracy of perception, flexibility of ideas and attitudes, ability to calm and control one's emotions, goal orientation, self-esteem and interests, as well as the relationship of these aspects with others.

There are also a number of special indices used less frequently to determine suicidal tendencies, schizophrenia and other deviations. Typically, all of this can be more quickly assessed during a clinical interview, but the Rorschach test can help identify areas of concern in the patient when some questions remain.

VIDEO: Rorschach takes the Rorschach test

A short clip from the film "Watchmen" about a movie character named Rorschach, who takes a Rorschach test during interrogation by the criminal police.

About the events in the hero’s life that changed his psychology as an individual in the worst side and about its associations on the Rorschach test.

Conclusion

The Rorschach test is not a magical way to peer into a person's soul. It is simply an empirically validated method of projectively measuring personality characteristics.

It is backed by almost four decades modern research(after the previous four decades of its existence since it was first published in 1921).

By answering questions about what they see in a simple set of ten inkblots, people can often reveal a little more information about themselves than their conscious self might intend. This leads to a deeper understanding of the internal motivations of human behavior and the emergence of existing problems.

Ecology of life. Psychology: The personality of every person includes such qualities as introversion and extroversion...

When Herman was twelve, his mother died, and when the young man turned eighteen, his father also died. Graduated with honors high school, Rorschach decided to study medicine. In 1912, he received his medical degree from the University of Zurich, after which he worked in a number of psychiatric hospitals.

In 1911, while still studying at the university, Rorschach conducted a series of interesting experiments to test whether schoolchildren gifted with artistic talents had a more developed imagination when interpreting ordinary inkblots. This research has had a huge impact not only on further career scientist, but also on the development of psychology as a science in general.

It must be said that Rorschach was not the first to use color spots in his research, but in his experiment they were used for the first time within the framework of an analytical approach. The results of the scientist’s first experiment were lost over time, but over the next ten years, Rorschach conducted large-scale research and developed a systematic technique that allows psychologists to determine people’s personality types using ordinary inkblots. Thanks to work in psychiatric clinic had free access to her patients. Thus, Rorschach studied both mentally ill people and emotionally healthy people, which allowed him to develop a systematic test using inkblots, which can be used to analyze a person’s personality characteristics, determine his personality type and, if necessary, correct it.

In 1921, Rorschach presented the results of his large-scale work to the world by publishing a book called Psychodiagnostics. In it, the author outlined his theory about personal characteristics of people.

One of the main points is that each person's personality includes such qualities as introversion and extroversion - in other words, that we are motivated by both external and internal factors. According to the scientist, the inkblot test allows one to evaluate the relative ratio of these properties and identify any mental disorder or, on the contrary, strengths personality. The psychological scientific community paid virtually no attention to the first edition of Rorschach's book, since at that time the prevailing belief was that it was impossible to measure or test what a person's personality consisted of.

However, over time, colleagues began to understand the usefulness of the Rorschach test, and in 1922, the psychiatrist discussed the possibilities of improving his technique at a meeting of the Psychoanalytic Society. Unfortunately, on April 1, 1922, after suffering from severe abdominal pain for a week, Hermann Rorschach was admitted to the hospital with suspected appendicitis, and on April 2 he died of peritonitis. He was only thirty-seven years old and never saw the enormous success of the psychological tool he invented.

Rorschach ink blots

The Rorschach test uses ten inkblots: five black and white, two black and red and three color. The psychologist shows the cards in strict order, asking the patient the same question: “What does this look like?” After the patient has seen all the pictures and given the answers, the psychologist shows the cards again, again in strict order. The patient is asked to name everything that he sees in them, where exactly in the picture he sees this or that image, and what in it forces him to give exactly that answer.

Cards can be turned over, tilted, manipulated in any other way. The psychologist must accurately record everything the patient says and does during the test, as well as the timing of each response. Next, the answers are analyzed and points are calculated. Then, through mathematical calculations, a result is derived from the test data, which is interpreted by a specialist.

If an inkblot does not evoke any associations in a person or he cannot describe what he sees on it, this may mean that the object depicted on the card is blocked in his consciousness, or that the image on it is associated in his subconscious with a topic that he would not like to discuss at the moment.

Card 1

On the first card we see a stain of black ink. It is shown first, and the answer to it allows the psychologist to assume how this person performs tasks that are new to him - therefore, associated with a certain stress. People usually say that the image reminds them bat, moth, butterfly or the face of some animal, such as an elephant or a rabbit. The answer reflects the respondent's personality type as a whole.

The face of an animal, particularly an elephant, often symbolizes the ways in which we confront difficulties and the fear of internal problems. It can also mean “a bull in a china shop,” that is, it conveys a feeling of discomfort and indicates a certain problem that a person is currently trying to get rid of.

Card 2

This card features a red and black stain, and people often see it as something sexy. Parts of the red color are usually interpreted as blood, and the reaction to it reflects how a person manages his feelings and anger and how he deals with physical harm. Respondents most often say that the spot reminds them of an act of supplication, two people, a person looking into a mirror, or a long-legged animal such as a dog, bear or elephant.

If a person sees two people in the spot, it may symbolize codependency, an obsession with sex, ambivalence about sexual intercourse, or a focus on connection and close relationships with others. If the spot resembles a person reflected in a mirror, this may symbolize self-centeredness or, on the contrary, a tendency to self-criticism.

Each of the two options expresses either a negative or positive personality characteristic, depending on how the image evokes in the person. If the respondent sees a dog in the spot, this may mean that he is a loyal and loving friend. If he perceives the stain as something negative, then he needs to face his fears and acknowledge his inner feelings.

If the spot reminds a person of an elephant, it may symbolize a tendency to think, developed intelligence and good memory; however, sometimes such a vision indicates a negative perception own body.

The bear imprinted in the spot symbolizes aggression, competition, independence, and disobedience. In the case of English-speaking patients, a play on words can play a role: bear (bear) and bare (naked), which means a feeling of insecurity, vulnerability, as well as the sincerity and honesty of the respondent.

The spot on this card is reminiscent of something sexual, and if the respondent sees it as a person praying, this may indicate an attitude towards sex in the context of religion. If the respondent sees blood in the stain, it means that he associates physical pain with religion or, when experiencing complex emotions like anger, resorts to prayer, or associates anger with religion.

Card 3

The third card shows a blot of red and black ink, and its perception symbolizes the patient's relationship to other people in social interaction. Most often, respondents see on it the image of two people, a person looking in the mirror, a butterfly or a moth.

If a person sees two people having lunch in a spot, this means that he is active social life. A spot that resembles two washing hands, speaks of insecurity, a feeling of one’s own uncleanliness, or paranoid fear. If a respondent sees two people playing a game in a spot, this often indicates that he is occupying a social interactions opponent's position. If the spot resembles a person looking at his reflection in the mirror, this may indicate self-centeredness, inattention to others and an inability to understand people.

Card 4

Experts call the fourth card “father’s.” The spot on it is black, and some parts of it are fuzzy and blurry. Many people see something large and frightening in this picture - an image that is usually perceived not as feminine, but as masculine. The reaction to this spot allows us to reveal a person’s attitude towards authorities and the characteristics of his upbringing. Most often, the spot reminds respondents of a huge animal or monster, or a hole of some animal or its skin.

If the patient sees a large animal or monster in the spot, this may symbolize feelings of inferiority and admiration for authority, as well as an exaggerated fear of people in authority, including one's own father. If the stain resembles the skin of an animal to the respondent, this often symbolizes severe internal discomfort when discussing topics related to the father. However, this may also indicate that the problem of one’s own inferiority or admiration for authority is not relevant for this respondent.

Card 5

On this card we again see a black spot. The association caused by it, like the image on the first card, reflects our true “I”. Looking at this image, people usually do not feel threatened, and since the previous cards evoked completely different emotions in them, this time the person does not experience any particular tension or discomfort - therefore, a deeply personal reaction will be characteristic. If the image seen is very different from the answer given when seeing the first card, this means that cards two through four most likely affected him great impression. Most often, this image reminds people of a bat, butterfly or moth.

Card 6

The picture on this card is also one-color, black; it is distinguished by the texture of the stain. This image evokes interpersonal intimacy, which is why it is called the “sex card.” Most often, people say that the spot reminds them of a hole or the skin of an animal, which may indicate a reluctance to enter into close relationships with other people and, as a result, a feeling of inner emptiness and isolation from society.

Card 7

The spot on this card is also black and is usually associated with feminine. Since people most often see images of women and children in this spot, it is called “maternal.” If a person has difficulty describing what is shown on the card, this may indicate that he is having problems in his life. difficult relationships with women. Respondents often say that the spot reminds them of the heads or faces of women or children; it can also bring back memories of a kiss.

If the spot appears similar to the heads of women, this symbolizes feelings associated with the respondent's mother, which also affect his attitude towards female generally. If the spot resembles children's heads, this symbolizes feelings associated with childhood and the need to care for the child who lives in the soul of the respondent, or that the patient's relationship with his mother needs close attention and, possibly, correction. If a person sees two heads bowed for a kiss in the spot, this indicates his desire to be loved and reunite with his mother, or that he seeks to reproduce the once close relationship with his mother in other relationships, including romantic or social ones.

Card 8

This card has gray, pink, orange, and blue colors. Not only is this the first multi-color card in the test, it is also particularly difficult to interpret. If it is when demonstrating it or changing the pace of showing pictures that the respondent experiences obvious discomfort, it is very likely that in life he has difficulties processing complex situations or emotional stimuli. Most often people say that they see a four-legged animal, a butterfly or a moth here.

Card 9

The spot on this card includes green, pink and orange colors. It has a vague outline, making it difficult for most people to understand what this image reminds them of. For this reason, this card assesses how well a person copes with lack of structure and uncertainty. Most often, patients see on it either the general outlines of a person, or some vague form of evil.

If the responder sees a person, then the feelings experienced convey how successfully he copes with the disorganization of time and information. If the spot resembles some abstract image of evil, this may indicate that the person needs a clear routine in his life to feel comfortable, and that he does not cope well with uncertainty.

Card 10

The last card of the Rorschach test has the most colors: there are orange, yellow, green, pink, gray, and blue. In form it is somewhat similar to the eighth card, but in complexity it is more consistent with the ninth.

Many people have a rather pleasant feeling when they see this card, except those who were very puzzled by the difficulty of identifying the image depicted on the previous card; when they look at this picture they feel the same. This may indicate that they have difficulty coping with similar, synchronous, or overlapping stimuli. Most often people see a crab, lobster, spider, rabbit head, snakes or caterpillars on this card.

The image of a crab symbolizes the respondent's tendency to become too attached to things and people, or a quality such as tolerance. If a person sees a lobster in a picture, it can indicate his strength, tolerance and ability to cope with minor problems, as well as his fear of harming himself or being harmed by someone else. If the spot resembles a spider, it may be a symbol of fear, a feeling that the person has been dragged into something by force or deceit. difficult situation. In addition, the image of a spider symbolizes an overly protective and caring mother and the power of a woman.

If a person sees the head of a rabbit, it can symbolize reproductive ability and a positive attitude towards life. Snakes reflect a sense of danger or a sense of being deceived, as well as fear of the unknown. Snakes are also often regarded as a phallic symbol and are associated with unacceptable or forbidden sexual desires. Since this is the last card in the test, if the patient sees caterpillars on it, this indicates prospects for his growth and understanding that people are constantly changing and developing. published

Also interesting:

Hermann Rorschach was born on November 8, 1884 in Zurich (Switzerland). He was the eldest son of an unsuccessful artist, forced to earn a living by giving art lessons at school. Since childhood, Herman was fascinated by color spots (in all likelihood, the result of the creative efforts of his father and the boy’s own love of painting), and his school friends nicknamed him Blob. When Herman was twelve, his mother died, and when the young man turned eighteen, his father also died. After graduating with honors from high school, Rorschach decided to study medicine. In 1912, he received his medical degree from the University of Zurich, after which he worked in a number of psychiatric hospitals. In 1911, while still studying at the university, Rorschach conducted a series of interesting experiments to test whether schoolchildren gifted with artistic talents had a more developed imagination when interpreting ordinary inkblots. This research had a huge impact not only on the future career of the scientist, but also on the development of psychology as a science in general. It must be said that Rorschach was not the first to use color spots in his research, but in his experiment they were used for the first time within the framework of an analytical approach. The results of the scientist's first experiment were lost over time, but over the next ten years Rorschach conducted large-scale research and developed a systematic technique that allows psychologists to determine people's personality types using ordinary inkblots. Thanks to his work in a psychiatric clinic, the researcher had free access to its patients. Thus, Rorschach studied both mentally ill people and emotionally healthy people, which allowed him to develop a systematic test using inkblots, which can be used to analyze a person’s personality characteristics, determine his personality type and, if necessary, correct it.

In 1921, Rorschach presented the results of his large-scale work to the world by publishing a book called Psychodiagnostics. In it, the author outlined his theory about the personal characteristics of people. One of the main points is that each person's personality includes such qualities as introversion and extroversion - in other words, that we are motivated by both external and internal factors. According to the scientist, the inkblot test allows one to assess the relative ratio of these properties and identify any mental deviation or, on the contrary, personality strengths. The psychological scientific community paid virtually no attention to the first edition of Rorschach's book, since at that time the prevailing belief was that it was impossible to measure or test what a person's personality consisted of. However, over time, colleagues began to understand the usefulness of the Rorschach test, and in 1922, the psychiatrist discussed the possibilities of improving his technique at a meeting of the Psychoanalytic Society. Unfortunately, on April 1, 1922, after suffering from severe abdominal pain for a week, Hermann Rorschach was admitted to the hospital with suspected appendicitis, and on April 2 he died of peritonitis. He was only thirty-seven years old and never saw the enormous success of the psychological tool he invented.

Rorschach ink blots

The Rorschach test uses ten ink blots: five black and white, two black and red, and three color. The psychologist shows the cards in strict order, asking the patient the same question: “What does this look like?” After the patient has seen all the pictures and given the answers, the psychologist shows the cards again, again in strict order. The patient is asked to name everything that he sees in them, where exactly in the picture he sees this or that image, and what in it forces him to give exactly that answer. Cards can be turned over, tilted, manipulated in any other way. The psychologist must accurately record everything the patient says and does during the test, as well as the timing of each response. Next, the answers are analyzed and points are calculated. Then, through mathematical calculations, a result is derived from the test data, which is interpreted by a specialist. If an inkblot does not evoke any associations in a person or he cannot describe what he sees on it, this may mean that the object depicted on the card is blocked in his consciousness, or that the image on it is associated in his subconscious with a topic that he would not like to discuss at the moment.