Chapter 10: Psychological Assessment

Overview of Lesson Plan:

In this lesson, students learn more about Rorschach and other personality assessment
tests in order to determine if they feel these tests are used appropriately in our society
today.

Suggested Time Allowance: 1 hour

Objectives:
Students will:
1. Take a look at a sample Rorschach inkblot, and theorize what psychologists may be
looking for in analysing peoples' responses to them.
2. Find out why the Rorschach test is considered a controversial one by reading and
discussing "What's in an Inkblot? Some Say Not Much."
3. Work with a partner to research the history of Rorschach and other psychological
tests, and to form their own opinions as to when and where these tests should and
should not be used.
4. Imagine that they are Dr. Hermann Rorschach and consider how he might feel
about the way that the psychological test he created 80 years ago is being used today.

Resources / Materials:
-student journals
-pens/pencils
-paper
-classroom blackboard
-copies of "What's in an Inkblot? Some Say Not Much" (one per student)
-reference materials with information about Rorschach and other psychological tests
(computers with Internet access, encyclopaedias, textbooks, library references)

Activities / Procedures:
1. WARM-UP/DO NOW:
Prior to class, go to the Take a Rorschach Test web site
(http://www.branson.k12.mo.us/langarts/cmflower/rorschac.htm) and print out one of
the inkblots found there to share with students. (If possible, enlarge the image before
posting it in the front of the room). After studying the image for a few moments, have
students respond in their journals to the following prompt (written on the board prior
to class): "What does this ink blot look like to you? What, if anything, do you think
psychologists can learn about a person by analysing what an individual sees in it?"
Then have students discuss their responses as a class. (Note that the emphasis of this
discussion should be on what psychologists can learn from peoples' responses, not on
what the inkblots look like to individual students in the room).

2. As a class, read and discuss "What's in an Inkblot? Some Say Not Much," focusing
on the following questions:

a. How long ago was the Rorschach test first created?

b. How often is this test used today?
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Jackie Glasthal, The New York Times Learning Network
 Chapter 10: Psychological Assessment

c. Why is this test considered controversial?

d. What is a "projective" test? In addition to Rorschach, what are some other
examples of projective tests?
e. To what purposes do some psychologists recommend these tests be limited? Why
do other psychologists disagree?
f. Where did Dr. Hermann Rorschach first get the idea for this inkblot test baring his
name?
g. What are some of the criteria that experts use to help them score Rorschach tests?
h. Who developed systematic rules for scoring Rorschach tests that are still used
today? About how long does it take to train a clinician in the use of these systematic
rules?
i. In what types of situations do some experts consider Rorschach tests to be most
useful?
j. In what situations are Rorschach tests used today that can dramatically affect
peoples' lives?
k. What does the term "overpathologize" mean, as it is used in this article?
l. What does Dr. Weiner means when he says, "Tests don't 'overpathologize.' That's
done by the person who interprets them"?
m. How does Dr. Meyer compare psychological tests like the Rorschach with medical
tests like ultrasounds and M.R.I.'s?

3. Working in pairs, have students use all available materials to research the answers
to the following questions:
-What exactly is a Rorschach test?
-Who created the Rorschach test, and how was it originally used?
-How has the use of the Rorschach test changed over time?
-In what ways is the world a different place now than it was 80 years ago, when the
test was first created?
-What are some other examples of psychological tests that are used in our society
today?
-How, in general, do these tests work?
-What are some arguments for and against the use of tests like these in our society
today?

Note that one good source of information for this activity is the web site Historical
Development of Inkblot Technique (http://www.owt.com/sis/historical.html). Other
common psychological tests students might research include the Wechsler Adult
Intelligence Scale (WAIS), Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI),
and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT).

4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Students will imagine that they are Hermann

Rorschach, and that they have been brought back to life to assess the use of the
Rorschach tests in our society today. Students will describe how they imagine
Rorschach would respond to the way his famous test is being used today using one of
the following literary forms: a journal entry, newspaper editorial, letter to a friend, or
speech to the Australian Psychological Society.

Further Questions for Discussion:

--Do you believe that any human- made test can accurately delve into the psyche of
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Jackie Glasthal, The New York Times Learning Network
 Chapter 10: Psychological Assessment

another person? Why or why not?

--How easy or difficult do you think it would be for a person to abuse the results of
this type of test? What makes you think so?
--How would you feel about having decisions in your life be determined by a test like
this?
--In what way are Rorschach tests similar to I.Q. tests, SAT's, and polygraph tests? In
what ways do they differ?

Evaluation / Assessment:
Students will be evaluated based on their written journal entries, participation in class
discussions, how well they work with their partner, their research about various
psychological tests, and the essay, artic le, or journal entry they write describing the
point of view of Hermann Rorschach.

Extension Activities:
1. Do additional research about Hermann Rorschach and create a timeline about his
life and work, including any related events that took place in the field of psychology
and psychiatry during his life.

2. Visit the Take a Rorschach Test web site

(http://www.branson.k12.mo.us/langarts/cmflower/rorschac.htm), and add your
perception of the Rorschach inkblots shown there. Then compare your responses to
those of other people who have posted their impressions at the site.

3. After reading the book "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes, imagine that you
are the main character, Charlie Gordon. Describe what you saw in the inkblot pictures
that you were given while hospitalized in the book.

4. Select one of the mental disorders or emotional problems that Rorschach tests are
supposed to help diagnose (i.e. schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic
stress disorder). Create a chart showing how this problem is medically defined,
symptoms associated with this problem, facts about how widespread it is, and
commonly used treatments for it.

5. Select a book (fiction or non-fiction) about a person with a serious psychological

problem (such as "Girl Interrupted," "The Bell Jar," "I Never Promised You a Rose
Garden," or "Dibbs: In Search of Self"). Write a personal essay in which you give
your own response to the person and the problem described. Explain whether or not
you relate to the main character, and why you think that is. Can you ever imagine
yourself, or someone that you know, struggling with similar psychological issues?
How did the book make you feel?

Interdisciplinary Connections:
Civics- Research laws related to custody disputes. Find out what, in addition to
Rorschach tests, is used to determine whether or not someone is a fit parent. Based on
your research, write a script for a courtroom drama involving a custody battle. Try to
make your script as realistic and life- like as possible. Then ask some classmates to
help you act it out for the rest of the class.

Fine Arts- Find out who Andy Warhol was, and compare the Rorschach paintings that
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Jackie Glasthal, The New York Times Learning Network
 Chapter 10: Psychological Assessment

he created in 1984 with the inkblots that Hermann Rorschach created and used in his
famous test. One source for this information is Andy Warhol: Rorschach Paintings
(http://www.owt.com/sis/historical.html). When you are done, create your own
"inkblot art," with a chart of possible "response predictions" to the image that you
created, and what you think each one might mean.

Global History- Select a country, and compare the importance and use of
psychological tests there with the importance and use of psychological tests in the
United States. Write an essay comparing and contrasting the way mental illness is
viewed and dealt with in both places.

Media Studies- Research when, why, and how often pleas of legal insanity are
actually used in courtrooms, and compare this with their use in TV dramas such as
"Law and Order," "Allie McBeal," and "The Practice." Do these shows exaggerate the
amount of times this defense is used? Write an essay explaining your findings.

Other Information on the Web

Rorschach Inkblot Test (http://www.rorschach.org) and Historical Development of
Inkblot Technique (http://www.owt.com/sis/historical.html) provide basic information
on the test.

Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company

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Jackie Glasthal, The New York Times Learning Network