Hermann Rorschach

1. Hermann Rorschach by Josh Byron Psychology 10-A

2. BIOGRAPHY • Rorschach was born in Zurich on November 8, 1884. • In 1886, his family moved to Schaffhausen. • In 1897, when Rorschach was twelve, his mother died. • In 1902, when Rorschach was nineteen, his father, who was a drawing teacher, died. • After finishing high school in 1904, Rorschach studied geology and botany at the Academy of Neuchatel.

3. BIOGRAPHY (continued) • After studying geology and botany, Rorschach entered medical school in Zurich. • At the age of 22, Rorschach decided to become a psychiatrist. From 1906 to 1907, Rorschach traveled around Europe, studying at various schools. • At the end of 1907, Rorschach returned to Zurich and enrolled in the University of Zurich again.

4. BIOGRAPHY (continued) • In 1909, Hermann traveled to Munsterlingen, Switzerland and got a job as a resident at a psychiatric hospital there, where he ended up marrying his fellow student, Olga Stempelin, in 1910. • In 1912, Rorschach published his doctoral dissertation. • Later that year, Hermann and Olga went to Russia, where he obtained a well-paid position at a respectable asylum near Moscow.

5. BIOGRAPHY (continued) • In 1914, Rorschach accepted a position as a resident at the Waldau Psychiatric University Hospital in Switzerland. • A year later, Rorschach accepted another job offer, as he associate director of an asylum in Switzerland. • In 1921, Rorschach’s Inkblot Test became world renowned through the publication of his book “Psychodiagnostik”. • On April 2nd, 1922, at the age of 37, Hermann Rorschach died of peritonitis, leaving his wife and two children behind.

6. THE RORSCHACH INKBLOT TEST • The Rorschach Inkblot Test is a psychological test in which a specific subjects’ perception of a certain inkblot is recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation. • The Inkblot Test is used to examine a person’s personality, characteristics, and emotional functioning. • The Inkblot Test is also widely known to detect certain thought disorders, like psychosis.

7. USING THE RORSCHACH TEST • The tester and subject usually sit next to each other at a table, with the subject slightly behind the tester. • free association phase- the phase in which the test subject has seen and responded to all the inkblots. • Inquiry phase- the phase in which the subject is given the inkblot once again. In this phase, the subject is asked to note where he sees what he originally saw and what makes them look like that.

8. USING THE RORSCHACH TEST (continued) • Whether or not the subject rotates the inkblots, or asks to rotate the inkblots is actually part of the assessment. This exposes certain personality traits. • The general goal of the test is to give data about the subjects’ process of thought, his/her personality, his/her response tendencies, and his/her personal and interpersonal perceptions. • Methods of interpreting the test results differ. The most common is the Exner Scoring System, which has become the standard method of interpreting the Rorschach test.

9. THE TEN COMMON INKBLOTS

10. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS • In 1912, Hermann Rorschach published his doctoral dissertation “ÜberReflexhalluzinationen und verwandteErscheinunge” with EugenBleuler, who was known for teaching Carl Young. • In 1921, Hermann Rorschach published “Psychodiagnostik”, in which the method of the Rorschach Inkblot Test was presented.

11. VIDEO • 1.) http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1302700/rorschach_inkblot_test/ • 2.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-3TKKkSgl8

12. SURVEY • Inkblot #1: 43% animal skin/rug 29% female anatomy 29% animal • Inkblot #2: 43% bat 43% butterfly 14% moth • Inkblot #3: 57% mythical creature 29% 4-legged animal 14% person

13. SURVEY (continued) • Inkblot #4: 57% a couple 14% butterfly 14% monkey 14% rabbit • Inkblot #5: 43% building (specifically the Eifel Tower) 43% celebration/carnival 14% animals • Inkblot #6: 29% fire 29% a couple 14% ostrich 14% flowers 14% Chinese dragon

14. FUN FACTS • As an elementary student, Hermann was given the nickname of Klex, meaning “inkblot”, due to his fascination of Klecksography, which was a game that consisted of making inkblot ‘pictures’. • Due to his fascination of Klecksography, Hermann was led to one question: Why do people see entirely different things in the same inkblots? This motivated him to discover the Rorschach Inkblot Test. • When Hermann’s book, “Psychofiagnostik”, was first published, it was a complete mess. His book remained unsold. Those who actually bought it just criticized it. Hermann died before he could see his book become a success.

15. FUN FACTS (continued) • Rorschach, a character found in “Watchmen”, a graphic novel, was based on the Rorschach Inkblot Test.

16. HERMANN RORSCHACH

17. BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES • Daniel Enerson Ole. "Hermann Rorschach." Who Named It?. 1994. Ole Daniel Enerson, Web. 21 Sep 2009. <http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/1232.html> • Crystal Elli, . "Hermann Rorschach." Crystal Links. 1995. Ellie Crystal, Web. 21 Sep 2009. <http://www.crystalinks.com/rorschach.html>. • "Hermann Rorschach: A Short Biography." The Hermann Rorschach Archives and Museum. Stub, Web. 21 Sep 2009. <http://www.stub.unibe.ch/html/rorschach/en/kurzbiografie.html>.

18. BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES (continued) • MalgremHelge, . "The Classical Rorschach.” November 6, 2008. HelgeMalgrem, Web. 21 Sep 2009. <http://www.phil.gu.se/fu/ro.html>. • "The Rorschach Inkblot Test." The Original Rorschach Website. May 11, 2009. The Original Rorschach Page, Web. 21 Sep 2009. <http://www.rorschach.org/>. • SPARC, . "The Rorschach Test." The Original Rorschach Website. March 1998. The Separated Parenting Access & Resource Center, Web. 21 Sep 2009. <http://deltabravo.net/custody/rorschach.php>. • Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_Rorschach & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorschach_test)