Rorschach Test: What It Measures and What It Is Used for in Personnel Selection

Knowing the personality characteristics of a candidate for an organization's personnel selection is possible through a projective technique that allows the selection, with a certain degree of accuracy, of the right person for a specific position.

Among projective techniques, the Rorschach test stands out. It is a projective method of psychological diagnosis devised by Hermann Rorschach in 1921.

The technique achieved a certain degree of popularity in psychoanalytic circles and among the psychologists and therapists of the time.

This test uses a set of 10 bilaterally symmetrical inkblot cards. Of these, some are gray or black, and others contain color elements. The test requires qualified personnel for its proper administration and evaluation.

The person being examined is asked to describe their perceptions or perspectives on the ambiguous images presented to them. The purpose is to interpret the interviewee's thought structure and personality.

It is intended to evaluate elements such as cognitive style, emotions, creativity, and impulse control, among other patterns.

Originally, the test was designed for use within the clinical setting to locate patterns of thought disorders in schizophrenia, although it has evolved into other areas. Such is the case of the judicial field for expert assessment, as well as personnel selection for organizations.

Evaluation Criteria

The most important evaluation criteria in the Rorschach test for personnel selection are:

• Latency: time to give the first answer

• Form: perception of the elements in general or in detail.

• Location: whether they see it in a detail of the blot, in all of it, or in the empty space.

• Position: Placement of the card, at what angle.

• Movement: is what they see still or does it move? Is it animated by a force?

• Color: references to color, differentiation of textures, depth, etc.

• Categories: does what they see correspond to human figures? Are they landscapes, animals, sexual objects, or plants?

Controversies Surrounding the Rorschach Test

While it is true that the Rorschach test has been known for a long time, an important sector of the scientific community questions its validity and accuracy. This is not new; since the 1950s many psychiatrists and psychologists have claimed that the interpretation of the projective technique is entirely subjective.

Consequently, its results are considered hard to verify, both in the field of psychiatry and in the recruitment and personnel selection process.

In 1997, a US court overturned a ruling that had used the Rorschach test as evidence to deny Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to an applicant who suffered from depression.

According to the technique, the applicant was well enough and was not entitled to any SSI claim.

However, the judge ruled that the results did not meet the minimum requirements of standardization, reliability, or validity for clinical diagnostic tests and interpretation.

Likewise, the obsolescence and questionable nature of the standards on which the interpretation of this test's psychogram data is based have been a source of controversy.

Its brevity and vagueness are highlighted, as is the cultural heterogeneity of the samples used when establishing the first standards for the test.

On the other hand, its validation mechanisms are considered insufficient. The ability to identify patterns of expression for the Rorschach response in all its facets and orientations is missing from the literature, or at least needs to be updated.

What Is the Degree of Reliability of the Rorschach Test?

Some experts point out that the Rorschach test lacks reliability. This means that it does not yield the same results consistently.

Reliability refers to how consistent the results of a given test are. That is, a reliable test will yield the same results over and over again.

Since the scoring and evaluation in this test depend on who interprets it, two examiners can consequently reach very different conclusions when observing the answers of the same examinee.

Many experts agree that the problem with projective tests is that they lack these two key aspects: validity and reliability. Both parameters are critical in any psychological evaluation.

Hence, a significant number of specialists prefer the reliability of online psychometric tests, such as the Big Five or 16 PF, which have the quality of allowing a better understanding of the right applicants.

About Psychometric Tests

These are fundamental and common tools in the Human Talent Development departments of modern organizations.

These psychometric tests began in 1870 and were confined to the educational environment. Their precursor was Alfred Binet, of the University of the Sorbonne, at the request of the French Ministry of Education, and their purpose was to identify young students with superior intelligence.

Today, these psychometric tests are used routinely in companies' personnel selection processes.

The fundamental reason for their use is that they are tools that allow organizations to approach the necessary characteristics of potential employees in a real and reliable way. Consequently, they can get a more general picture of the applicant and they can be done online.

Types of Psychometric Tests

Psychometric tests are part of the personnel selection process in modern organizations. These tests are designed by organizational psychologists to provide companies with a reliable personnel selection method.

Among these tests, the following stand out:

Big Five Test: Considered the only psychometric test and personality model that has scientific consensus in personality psychology. This is what sets it apart from other types of tests, both psychometric and otherwise.

16PF Questionnaire: Another important psychometric test is the 16PF Questionnaire (Cattell's personality factors), which measures personality at two hierarchical levels. It includes primary and secondary traits, and is the product of deep and extensive factor analyses of a wide variety of behavioral elements.

Both psychometric tests can be taken online.