Question

Do you believe that an individual will “project” his personality onto ambiguous stimuli (like with the Rorschach Inkblot Method)? Why or why not?

Answer 1

I believe an individual projects his personality onto ambiguous stimuli as done in Rorschach ink blot test. By this technique one reveals a variety of unconscious conflicts and motivation one might have. The individual responds with the first thought or series of thoughts that come to mind or tells a story about each stimulus. The Rorschach is used to help assess personality structure and identify emotional problems. It is based on the principle that subjects viewing neutral, ambiguous stimuli will project their own personalities onto them, thereby revealing a variety of unconscious conflicts and motivations. The test provides information about a person's thought processes, perceptions, motivations, and attitude toward his or her environment and it can detect internal and external pressures and conflicts as well as illogical or psychotic thought patterns. For example, people who tend to see movement in Rorschach blots are thought to be intellectual and introspective; those who see mostly stationary objects or patterns are described as practical and action oriented. Many psychologists interpret the test freely according to their subjective impressions, including their impression of the subject's demeanour while taking the test. When combined with clinical observation and knowledge of a client's personal history, can help a therapist arrive at a more expansive, in-depth understanding of the client's personality.