Object Details
- Rorschach, Hermann
- Description
- The Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach (1884-1922) developed a series of ambiguous images of inkblots that were shown to subjects to evaluate their personality, intelligence, and emotional state. Rorschach died not long after he published his test in 1921, but it was brought to the United States by David Levy in 1924 and attracted the attention of several scholars. In 1939, the Rorschach Institute, distributor of this set of test materials, was established in New York, New York.
- Ten paper sheets are painted with the images of the Rorshach ink blot test. They were placed on cardboard and covered with celluloid. The celluloid layer decayed and was removed. In addition to the individual sheets one sheet shows all ten of the images. There are also three sheets of instructions and fragments of a fourth. All of these sheets were covered with celluloid which self-destructed and left them exceedingly brittle. Only a photocopy of a fifth sheet survives.
- A mark on the back of each individual drawing checked reads: Druck der Polygraphischen Gesellschaft Laupen-Bern. The sheet showing all ten drawings is marked: Published by (/) The Rorschach Institute (/) New York, N.Y.
- In addition to the sheets of drawings, there are equally if not more brittle ones entitled: Klopfer – Scoring Categories for Location of Responses. The German psychologist Bruno Klopfer emigrated to the United States in the 1930s and directed the Rorschach Institute from 1939 until 1947.
- For related materials, see 1983.0168.17.
- Reference:
- Buchanan, Roderick D. “Ink Blots or Profile Plots: The Rorschach versus the MMPI as the Right Tool for a Science-Based Profession.” Science, Technology, & Human Values, vol. 22, no. 2, 1997, pp. 168–206.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of David Shakow
- ca 1940
- ID Number
- MA.316372.17
- catalog number
- 316372.17
- accession number
- 316372
- Object Name
- Psychological Test
- Physical Description
- paper (overall material)
- plastic (overall material)
- ink (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 2.5 cm x 31 cm x 25 cm; 31/32 in x 12 7/32 in x 9 27/32 in
- place made
- United States: New York, New York City
- Switzerland: Bern
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Mathematics
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Psychological Tests
- Record ID
- nmah_694556
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-3ef9-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
