For nearly a century, ten inkblots like these have been utilized as an almost mystical personality test. Long kept confidential for psychologists and their patients, the enigmatic images were purported to elucidate the workings of a person’s mind. The Rorschach Test, devised in the early 20th century by Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach, is not so much about the specific images that we perceive, but rather about our general approach to perception. As an amateur artist, Rorschach was fascinated by the variations in visual perception that exist between individuals.
He continued to pursue this interest throughout medical school, where he developed an understanding of the profound interconnectivity between our senses. He conducted research on the manner in which our process of perception does not merely register sensory inputs but rather transforms them. Upon commencing his tenure at a mental hospital in eastern Switzerland, he initiated the design of a series of enigmatic images with the objective of gaining new insight into this enigmatic process.
He devised a system for coding responses, reducing the wide range of interpretations to a few manageable numbers. He had now developed empirical measures to quantify a wide range of test takers, including those with creative and imaginative abilities, those who are detail-oriented, those who are able to perceive the big picture, and those who are flexible and able to adapt their approach. Some individuals exhibited a tendency to provide the same response for multiple blots.
Some respondents provided unconventional and intriguing descriptions. The responses exhibited a considerable degree of variability, reflecting the diverse perceptual challenges presented by the inkblots. While some of these challenges were relatively straightforward to interpret, others posed more significant difficulties. However, an analysis of the test-taker’s overall approach yielded insights into their psychology that were both meaningful and informative. As Rorschach tested an increasing number of individuals, patterns began to emerge.
Subjects with similar personalities often exhibited remarkably similar approaches to the task at hand. Similarly, patients suffering from the same mental illnesses demonstrated comparable performance, thereby establishing the test as a reliable diagnostic tool. The test could even diagnose conditions that are difficult to identify with other available methods.
In 1921, Rorschach published his coding system in conjunction with the ten blots he believed offered the most comprehensive insight into individuals’ perceptual processes. Over the subsequent several decades, the test became a highly popular instrument in countries across the globe. By the 1960s, the test had been officially administered millions of times in the United States alone. Unfortunately, less than a year after the publication of the test, Hermann Rorschach passed away suddenly. In the absence of its inventor, the test, which had been methodically gathered to support a specific hypothesis, began to be used in a variety of speculative ways.
Researchers administered the test to Nazi war criminals with the intention of elucidating the psychological underpinnings of mass murder. Anthropologists presented the images to remote communities as a means of conducting a universal personality test. In making hiring decisions, employers resorted to the use of reductive decoding charts, which resulted in the perpetuation of prejudices. As the test was disseminated beyond the clinical setting, its credibility among medical professionals declined, and its use in clinical practice declined concomitantly.
The test remains controversial, with many assuming it has been disproven. However, a comprehensive review of all existing Rorschach research conducted in 2013 revealed that when administered correctly, the test yields valid results, which can assist in the diagnosis of mental illness or supplement a patient’s psychological profile. It is not a standalone instrument for understanding the human mind; no test is. However, its visual approach and lack of a single correct answer continue to assist psychologists in developing a more nuanced understanding of how individuals perceive the world. This brings us one step closer to understanding the patterns behind our perceptions.