Is Wikipedia Killing the Rorschach Test?

Posted 07/31/2009 at 8:00am | by Paul Lilly

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You can look up almost anything on Wikipedia, including the 10 original Rorschach plates -- more commonly known as inkblots, which are used by psychologists to help understand their patients -- along with common responses for each of them. It's this latter part that has some psychologists up in arms, who equate it to an online cheat sheet.

"The more test materials are promulgated widely, the more possibility there is to game it," said Bruce L. Smith, a psychologist and president of the International Society of the Rorschach and Projective Methods.

Smith was quick to clarify that a coached subject wouldn't necessarily be able to fool the person giving the test into making a wrong diagnosis, but could "render the results meaningless."

Not everyone agrees with the above assessment, including James Heilman, an emergency room doctor from Moose Jaw, Saskatcehwan, who posted the material under dispute.

"Restricting information for theoretical concerns is not what we are here to do," Dr. Heilman said. "Show me the evidence. I don't care what a group of experts says."

Image Credit: Wikipedia