Glossary
Rorschach Test
What is the Rorschach test?
The Rorschach test, also called the Rorschach inkblot test, is a psychological assessment in which people describe what they see in inkblots. An examiner records and scores aspects of their responses. The test is associated with Hermann Rorschach.
What taking the test involves
The standard materials contain 10 cards with symmetrical inkblots. The person looks at the cards individually and describes what each image could be. This produces spoken responses rather than answers selected from a fixed list.
In the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS), the examiner records the person’s exact responses and relevant gestures, card orientation and the area of the blot used. A later clarification phase returns to those responses to establish where the person saw something and which features made it look that way. The R-PAS administration summary explains that this information is collected for accurate coding. The examiner then applies the system’s scoring rules. Recording a response, assigning a code and drawing a psychological conclusion are distinct steps; a standardized procedure does not automatically validate every conclusion.
What does it tell us?
That depends on the score and the claim being made. Standardized scoring systems do exist. Mihura and colleagues reviewed individual variables in the Comprehensive System and found substantial evidence for some, limited or no support for others, and no relevant studies for some.
The best-supported variables largely concerned thinking and perception. That does not mean every interpretation of an inkblot response is valid, or that the test reveals hidden motives.
Using and interpreting the test
Ask what a particular score can tell you, how well it was tested, and what other assessment information supports the conclusion. The Rorschach should not be presented as a stand-alone way to diagnose depression, anxiety, or personality disorders.
In an assessment or treatment-planning discussion, the practical question is which specific inference a score supports. Consider whether the scoring system and comparison data fit the person being assessed, rather than treating an examiner's impression as sufficient evidence.