The Acceptability and Expression of Attitudes Associated to the Rorschach Human Movement Response

Abstract

To test hypotheses based upon psychoanalytically-oriented Rorschach and perceptanalytic (Piotrowski) theories concerning the level of expression, acceptability, type and posture of the figure projected, a questionnaire was devised to elicit associations to their own M by hospitalized male and female schizophrenics and male college students. About half of M have Expressive attitudinal patterns with a slightly greater trend for the Students. Piotrowski's hypothesis that it is useful to differentiate between the “Activity” and the “Actor” who performs it received some confirmation. The thought of performing the Activity is not anxiety-provoking, though with increasing subjective closeness, the less Acceptable are both Actor and Action. The meaning of M seems contingent upon group membership. Of the Ss who identified with their M, Students rated the Activity Acceptable, and the Schizophrenics Unacceptable; the reverse trend was obtained in Ss who did not identify with M. This was interpreted as reflecting the Schizophrenics' less efficient defenses and greater alienation. It was not possible to predict the level of expression of any response through the age, sex, race or posture of the figure, acceptability of the action, or associated Rorschach scores. Various ego-mechanisms and the expression of unconscious fantasies were discussed. It was concluded that the meaning of M is complex and not easily determined from the usual indicators. With the exception noted above, attitudes associated with M did not discriminate between Students and Schizophrenics or between male and female schizophrenics.