He Rorschach test Is a psychological test in which the perceptions of the subject are recorded and analyzed using psychological interpretations, complex algorithms or both. Some psychologists use this test to examine a person's personality and emotional functioning. It has been used to detect psychological disorders, especially in cases where patients do not want to openly describe their thinking processes.
The Rorschach test was invented by Hermann Rorschach , Born in Switzerland in 1885. He studied medicine, doctored in 1912 and decided to direct his work toward the psychoanalysis .
Rorschach was a man passionate about painting, and working in the field of medicine used his passion and knowledge to study the behavior of his patients before painting.
What Rorschach did was draw ink blots, which did not have a definite shape, and show them to those patients with whom he worked, later show them to healthy people, and compare the answers. It is in this way that he discovers that visual perception is influenced by personality.
With all the information collected, Hermann finally elaborates the test that bears his name in the year 1921, which is composed in a definitive way by 10 sheets showing symmetrical ink spots that have been achieved by folding the folio.
What are projection techniques?
In psychology a lot of tests and tests are used to acquire information about a person, since we need to have access to relevant aspects about life, personality, behavior, thoughts?? Etc. that people have.
There are many kinds of tests in the world of mental health, perhaps the best known are those of a projective type since, from ignorance, it may seem that performing a simple task can access a lot of mental information, and although in some cases It is like this, it is not a magic formula to know anything about the person who is facing us.
Projective tests, or projective techniques, are those tests that give us information about the personality of the individual, or their thoughts, impulses, desires, concerns... Characteristic of these tests is that the person is presented with stimuli that are ambiguous and Which can cause a wide variety of responses in the person.
According to the theory governing projective tests, by presenting the person with an ambiguous stimulus that is not fully defined, the underlying or unconscious motivations or attitudes are revealed.
The projective tests are focused on"uncovering" The subconscious of a person, through the information that can be provided.
Strengths and weaknesses of projective tests
Projective tests are normally used in therapeutic settings. Although sometimes they can also be applied in the school or work context. The experts affirm that these tests have practical value and that they are valid, however the projective tests have several limitations.
For example, the responses that the person emits can be greatly influenced by the attitude of the examiner and by social desirability, which is nothing other than acting on how we believe others expect us to act. The interpretation of the tests is also subjective, since according to the professional who applies the test, the interpretation may be different.
In addition, although there are a series of norms to be able to interpret the answers that the person gives and can establish categories of belonging of the perceptions found by each subject explored, passing the test is a difficult and long work if you do not have practice, since Is complex and needs specific training.
So now you know, that these types of techniques are not performed as you have been able to see on television, their process is much more complex than what is shown, and you can not guess as it is in full a person simply by giving an answer Before a test
What do you evaluate each answer?
Unlike what people popularly believe, for the interpretation of the responses that people give in the Rorschach test, they do not take only the content. That is, what the person sees when they see the stain, but this is only a part of all those aspects that are evaluated on the answers that can give those people who perform the test.
In general, some of the aspects that are given importance in the answers given are the following:
Content
The content refers to what the person is seeing in the spot. Depending on the object you see, it can be classified into several categories. I explain with examples so you know what I mean:
- Nature and vegetables: Does it refer to answers such as a tree, a plant, grass?
- Human: This classification would be valid for answers that are alluded to people, a man, a woman, my father??
- Sexual: A good example would be to see someone's genitals.
- Anatomical: It refers to body parts of people, a hand, a foot, the spine??
- Object: Any inanimate object would be classified here, a lamp, a table, a sofa??
- Architectural: Buildings, bridges, roads??
- Animal
The content, perhaps the most popular part of the test, which people have the idea that only this aspect is evaluated, can control more the answers it gives.
In addition, another aspect closely related to this variable is the justification of the answer, ie explain why you see what you see and give justified reasons why you observe that.
Other aspects that are evaluated related to this field are whether or not the response is popular (if a high percentage of people see the same thing as you) and even the time it takes to give a response.
Location
This aspect is based on whether the response given by the person refers to the whole stain, a detail of the stain, or to the blank space. It refers to placing in which area of the sheet the subject to which the test is passed looks at the figure that has commented.
Determinants
Rorschach test scores also include how the subject perceives the slide. When the subject gives a response related to their sensory perception, this response is classified as determinant. Aspects of the response that can be typed in this variable would be if for example what you see is in motion, whether it refers to the touch it seems to have, or whether it includes the color of the sheet as part of its response.
The determinants can give a lot of information related to the person's cognitive areas, for example when the color is referred to in the picture, the person is providing information to the professional about the vision that he has about his emotional life.
As you see, in films or popular belief about this technique of evaluation, the reality of the complexity of the Rorschach test is not reflected, and unlike what many people mistakenly believe, it is very difficult for the subject to be You pass the test, you can control all the aspects that are going to be evaluated in your answers.
Rorschach Test Sheets
The test consists of 10 sheets, which are divided into 3 types: 5 are in black and white, 3 are drawn in color and the remaining two are represented in red and black. It is important to know, that the sheets always come in the same order.
Below is a brief summary of the appearance of the person evaluating each sheet. Obviously each sheet gives a lot of information, but in general line the subject to evaluate are the aspects that are commented with each sheet.
Plate 1: This sheet talks about the presentation and adaptation to new situations. That is how you face life, under the eyes of other people.
Being the first sheet, the response given by the person provides information about the reaction that the subject has to the presentation of the sheet. His answer speaks about adaptive capacity, and the resources used to respond to a new stimulus.
Plate 2: In this sheet the red color appears for the first time. For the test, red symbolizes the aggressiveness, the evocation to the fight. The emotional maturity, mastery of the self possessed by the individual, as well as resistance to stress, aggression and accusation are generally assessed and tested. It would give information about internal conflicts and impulses.
Plate 3: In this case, the tendency of the evaluation is directed to the interpersonal relations, the perception about other people, as well as the bonds that are maintained with them. One of the most curious features of this film is that it can give information to evaluate the sexual identity of a person.
Plate 4: It is a picture that talks about authority. It provides information on the concept of authority in reference to the subject. The picture represents the father, the law, and even has an Oedipal connotation as to whether the subject makes reference to some sexual feature in this sheet.
Plate 5: Sheet number 5 represents the reality of the person since it is the sheet whose stain is more structured. That is, the presentation is less ambiguous than in the other 9 remaining so the answers generally tend to be more concrete. This time the sexual identity is also evaluated.
Plate 6: It is known as the blade of male sexuality. Again, sexual aspects of the person are evaluated. It is a sheet that plays with symbolism, in the sense that what is observed is related to the sexual world of the subject that answers the blade.
Plate 7: This sheet talks about motherhood and the feminine. The relationship with the female part, as well as the relationship with the mother, is usually evaluated.
Plate 8: In this case, the response will be related to the affects of the person. The adaptation of the individual to the affective, to the emotional world. It is also related to the therapeutic alliance and the patient-professional relationship.
Plate 9: This sheet refers to the situations related to the anguish . Situations that can be described as limit. Information can be extracted about how the subject manages distress, and what resources he uses in the face of situations that need immediate response. It also provides information about frustration tolerance.
Plate 10: It's the last sheet. Information about the projection and evolution of the person about his psychic conflicts can be obtained. It can also show how the person confronts the surrounding context.
Remember that throughout the article has commented on the complexity that involves evaluating a person through the Rorschach test, so that only those people who have received specific training for this purpose, will be able to obtain all necessary and consistent information.
So if you are interested in taking the test, if you want to obtain reliable results, you should look for a professional near you who is specialized in this form of evaluation.