Inkblot Test (Rorschach Inkblot Test)

The Inkblot test or Rorschach Inkblot Test is a psychological projective assessment tool which examines an individual’s emotional functioning and personality characteristics. It consists of 5 black and white and 5 colored inkblots on cards. This was created in 1921 by Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychologist who used the inkblots with his patients with schizophrenia.

The Rorschach is intended for examinees aged five and above. The administrator is usually situated beside, slightly behind, the examinee to lessen unintentional cues and promote a relaxed as well as a controlled atmosphere. The examinee looks at each inkblot and tells the examiner what he perceives. The psychologist asks the specific location where the examinee saw a certain image. The responses and observations are carefully recorded. These are then categorized, analyzed, and scored. The first and fifth cards are commonly perceived as a bat, the second, third, and ninth cards are usually seen as humans, the fourth and sixth ones are often thought of as animal hides or rugs, the seventh card is often perceived as human heads, the eight is popularly seen as a four-legged animal, and the tenth card is often viewed as a crab, lobster, or spider.