Psychiatrist. Best know for creating the Rorschach test (or the inkblot test) meant to determine the personality traits of individuals by reporting what images they see. The eldest of three children, he was born in Zurich to Ulrich Rorschach, an artist who encouraged his son to follow in his footsteps. While in high school, his interest in sketching earned his the nickname "Kleck," which means "inkblot." After graduating from high school, Rorschach decided to pursue a career in science instead of art. He received his M.D. from the University of Zürich in 1912. In 1918 Rorschach began experimenting with 15 of his inkblots, showing the tests to patients and asking them, "What might this be?" Their responses allowed him to determine the state of mind of his patients on the basis of their perceptive abilities, intelligence, and emotional characteristics. Rorschach published the results of his studies on 300 mental patients and 100 others in Psychodiagnostik (1921). The book didn't attract much attention until Rorschach died in 1922. Although this method is controversial, it was widely adopted as a tool that is still used today for psychological evaluation and diagnosis.
Psychiatrist. Best know for creating the Rorschach test (or the inkblot test) meant to determine the personality traits of individuals by reporting what images they see. The eldest of three children, he was born in Zurich to Ulrich Rorschach, an artist who encouraged his son to follow in his footsteps. While in high school, his interest in sketching earned his the nickname "Kleck," which means "inkblot." After graduating from high school, Rorschach decided to pursue a career in science instead of art. He received his M.D. from the University of Zürich in 1912. In 1918 Rorschach began experimenting with 15 of his inkblots, showing the tests to patients and asking them, "What might this be?" Their responses allowed him to determine the state of mind of his patients on the basis of their perceptive abilities, intelligence, and emotional characteristics. Rorschach published the results of his studies on 300 mental patients and 100 others in Psychodiagnostik (1921). The book didn't attract much attention until Rorschach died in 1922. Although this method is controversial, it was widely adopted as a tool that is still used today for psychological evaluation and diagnosis.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
