The Rorschach inkblot test
This is a basic description of the Rorschach diagnostic. It's been years since I studied it so don't
take this as 100% correct, it's from memory.
Get a good book about it to be better informed.
Card 1 - answering fairly quickly shows the psychologist that the subject can easily adapt to new situations.
The subject should also give more than 1 response. Good answers to give are a woman or girl (in the center of the blot), butterfly, moth, or bat.
If the shrink asks "Is the butterfly moving?" the subject should say no. Indicating
movement is usually a bad thing. The well-adjusted subject will keep responses appropriate and "normal" sounding (don't talk about blood
oozing, decapitation, missing limbs, etc.) Responses involving sex are not beneficial either.
Card 2 - The standard response for this one is 2 clowns or 2 human figures. If the subject states they are dancing
this indicates depression.
A well adjust subject will not give more than one "color form" response, which should happen
on card 8, 9 or 10. Saying "Oh, look at the pretty colors!" or "Oh, it's RED!" is a "color form" response, which is bad to give
more than once. This indicates impulsive behavior and other bad things. Giving a "form color" response is safe, however.
"Those are red hats" is OK.
Card 3 - They say, and they're not right about this, that seeing these 2 figures as males indicates the subject
is a heterosexual; seeing them as women or neutral indicates the subject is homosexual.
The red parts are usually seen as separate items: a red bow tie, red saxophones. "Stomach & esophogas" is allegedly a
common response but that seems too weird to me.
Card 4 - This one is called "the father card." Common responses include boots, dragon head
(referring to parts of the ink blot), or referring to the entire blot as a bear skin rug, standing figure of a man
in a coat or large animal like a gorilla. Whatever the subject says about this card allegedly gives away his or her opinion of
his or her father. "It's a gorilla that's going to kick my ass" would indicate a poor paternal image.
Card 5 - This one is a bat or butterfly, similar to Card 1. The subject should pick bat or butterfly and move on.
Butterfly is probably better as it is less sinister than a bat.
Card 6 - Here's another animal skin. The subject should rotate this one and give some of the common
responses: sideways, a boat on a pond; upside down: a cloud, 2 men with long noses, or theater masks.
Card 7 - This one is called "the mother card." All subjects should see 2 female figures. How they are described
is supposed to reveal feelings about the subject's mother. "2 schoolteachers" is better than "2 witches." Describing the
white space in between as an object indicates schizophrenia.
Card 8 - It's important to see the 4-legged animals (cats, dogs, goats)
but if the subject doesn't see them he or she will be labeled a total freak. The subject may also find a butterfly and tree in this one,
or see it overall as a family crest type of design.
Card 9 - Flower is a good answer for this one. The subject is supposed to get stuck on this one.
It's also common to give a "color form" response here instead and call it "fire with smoke".
Card 10 - This one is supposed to test organization skills. The subject can safely describe the
individual items... acrobats (yellow), crabs, spiders. Then the subject should
describe the whole thing as one object, either a view through a microscope or sea life. If the subject hasn't given a color/
form response yet use it on one of the peripheral objects. Giving one color/form response allegedly indicates the subject
is able to form warm personal relationships.
