How to Code the Rorschach

Teofilo O. Palsimon Jr
Coding requires taking all of the text transcribed
during the test administration (qualitative material)
and turning it into numeric scores (quantitative
information) that will later be used in the structural
summary, and interpretation
First Part: Coding each response
Second Part: Entering the codes (or scores) for each response
The Coding Process
-is probably the most difficult task for the new examiner.
- Rorschach takes time and requires guidance from an
experienced examiner or Rorschacher.
First, the examiner must understand the theoretical goal behind Rorschach coding
Second, the examiner must rely on the coding rules in Exner’s Comprehensive System
Theoretical Goals
When interpreting the data, the examiner cannot focus solely on
one small aspect of the examinee or one small coded variable;
each aspect can be understood only in the context of the
examinee’s other features. A whole picture of the examinee
must be developed

The overarching goal of coding is to try to understand “how the

characteristics of a person merge together in a series of
complex interrelationships that breeds a reasonable
understanding of that person” through the protocol
the cardinal rule in coding Rorschach responses is that “the code or score should
represent the cognitive operation at the time the subject gave the answer”
“all of the components that appear in the response should appear in the coding”
What needs to be Coded?
Every one of the examinee’s responses to the inkblots must be coded under multiple
categories.

In order to accurately code each response, an examiner relies on a codebook that lists the rules on how to categorize qualitative
information (in this case the examinee’s responses to the inkblot).
 Codes of the Comprehensive System
 Five are the original codes that were used by Rorschach
 Most are selected from various systems, mainly the Beck and Klopfer
approaches
 A few have been selected from research findings that have evolved since 1970
 Collectively, the 24 codes represent seven broad categories, each of which
characterizes the way in which the stimulus field has been used.
The seven categories are:
 1. Form 2. Movement 3. Color (chromatic)
 4. Color (achromatic) 5.Shading 6. Dimensionality (form)
 7. Symmetry Use
24 Coding Symbols
 Form and Movement
1 Form answers (F) – Used for responses based exclusively on the fore features of
the blot
2. Human movement response (M) – Used for responses involving the kinesthetic
activity of a human, or of an animal or fictional character in human-like activity
3. Animal movement response (FM) – Used for responses involving a kinesthetic
activity of an animal. The movement perceived must be congruent to the species
identified in the content. Animals reported in movement not common to their
species should be coded as M.
4. Inanimate movement response (m) – Used for responses involving the
movement of inanimate, inorganic, or insensate objects.
 Chromatic Color
5. Pure color response (C) – Used for answers based exclusively on the
chromatic color features of the blot. No form is involved
6. Color-form response (CF) – Used for answers that are formulated primarily
because of the chromatic color features of the blot. Form features are used, but
are of secondary importance.
7. Form-color response (FC) – Used for answers that are created mainly because
of form features. Chromatic color is used, but is of secondary importance.
8. Color naming response (Cn) – Used when the colors of the blot are identified
by name, and with the intention of giving a response.
 Achromatic Color
9. Pure achromatic color response (C’) – Used when the response is based
exclusively on the grey, black, or white features of the blot, when they are
clearly used as color. No form is involved.
10. Achromatic color-form response (C’F) – Used for responses that are created
mainly because of the black, white, grey features, clearly used as color. Form
features are used, but are of secondary importance.
11. Form-achromatic color response (FC’) – Used for answers that are based
mainly on the form features. The achromatic features, clearly used as color are
also included, but are of secondary importance.
 Shading-Texture
12. Pure texture response (T) – Used for answers in which the shading
components of the blot are translated to represent a tactual phenomenon,
with no consideration to the form features.
13. Textual-form response (TF) – To be used for responses in which the
shading features of the blot are interpreted as tactual, and form is used
secondarily, for purpose of elaboration and/ or clarification.
14. Form-texture response (FT) – Used for responses that are based
mainly on the form features. Shading features of the blot are translated as
tactual, but are of secondary importance.
 Shading-Dimension
15. Pure vista response (V) – used for answers in which the shading
features are interpreted as depth or dimensionality. No form is
involved.
16. Vista-form response (VF) – Used for responses in which the
shading features are interpreted as depth or dimensionality. Form
features are included, but are of secondary importance.
17. Form-vista response (FV) – Used for answers that are based
mainly on the form features of the blot. Shading features are also
interpreted to one depth and/ or dimensionality, but are of secondary
importance to the formulation of the answer.
 Shading-Diffuse
18. Pure shading response (Y) – Used for responses that are based
exclusively on the light-dark features of the blot that are completely
formless and do not involve reference to either texture or dimension.
19. Shading form response (YF) – Used for responses based primarily on
the light-dark features of the blot, not involving texture or dimension. Form
features are included, but are of secondary importance.
20. Form-shading response (FY) – Used for responses that are based mainly
on the form features of the blot. The light-dark features of the figure, not
used to articulate texture or dimension, are included as elaboration and/ or
clarification and are secondary to the use of form.
 Form Dimension and Pairs & Reflections
21. Form based dimensional response (FD) – Used for answers in which the impression of
depth, distance, or dimensionality is created by using the elements od size and/ or shape of
contours. No use of shading is involved in creating this impression.
22. The pair response [(2)] – Used for answers in which two identical objects are reported,
based on the summary of the blot. The objects must be equivalent in all respects, but must not
be identified as being reflected or as mirror images.
23. Reflection-form response (rF) – Used for answer in which the blot or blot are is reported
as a reflection or mirror image, because of the symmetry of the blot. The object or content
reported has no specific form requirement, as in clouds, landscape, shadows, etc.
24. Form-reflection response (Fr) – Used for answers in which the blot or blot area is
identified as reflected or a mirror image, based on the symmetry of the blot. The substance of
the response is based on form features, and the object reported has a specific form demand.
 Form Determinant (F)
 For form that contribute to the identification of an object
 Used when no other determinant is involved
 People often used the word shape, or more commonly, they allude to different
form features of the object reported
Ex.: “These are the wings, and the body, and the tail”, or “This is the head and
here are the legs, and this is the tree trunk.”
 F is always included when form features are used except when there are human
or inanimate movement (M or m)
 F is subsumed in the codes M or m
 Form features will be included in more than 95% of all responses given
 Practice: How will you code this:
 It just looks like a rose, see the petals and the stem
 It’s just all black like a rain cloud
 It’s red like a rose, and this would be the petals and the
stem is here

 - F, C’, CF
 Movement Determinants
3 kinds:
1. those involving humans or human-like behaviors
2. those involving animals
3. those involving inanimate or organic objects and forces
 Rorschach identified only human movement and argued that animal
movements are the same and have no scoring. This was agreed by Beck
 Beck and Piotrowski suggested that animal and inanimate movement answers
have some of the same process as human movement responses
 The opposing viewpoints can be both correct since there is little empirical
evidence to suggest that the 3 types represent different levels of
psychological processes. This was opposed by research findings
 Human Movement (M)
 Use for human activity which must be active such as running, jumping, fighting
and arguing or passive such as sleeping, thinking, smiling, and looking
 M coding assumes form, although there are rare instances in which no form exists

in an M response such as in sensory experience

Ex: “It looks like a gloom,” “It reminds me of happiness,” or it has a bad smell
 M should not be assumed simply because of human figure, movement should be

articulated
 It is reported in the response phase, M should never be scored if there is reason to

believe that the movement was provoked by an inquiry question of an examiner

 M may also occur where content is animal as long as it involves human activities

such as ”two beetles arguing”

 Practice: How will you code this:
 “Two bears playing scrabble”
 “Two beetles fighting over something”

 - M, FM
 Animal Movement (FM)
 Was originally suggested by Klopfer and Sender(1936)
 FM is coded for any response involving animals in activity that is common to
the species such as dog barking, bat flying or a leopard stalking it prey
 Most FM answers include a whole animal, but some will involve only a partial
animal figure such as, two animals scampering behind a bush, you can only see
their legs.
 FM may also include fictional or mythological such as dragon or unicorn
 Rarely, an animal will be reported in an animal activity that is not common to
its specie such as a snake flying along. This can be coded M to reflect human
fantasy that has been involved in forming the answers
 Inanimate Movement (m)
Klopfer and Hertz use m in their systems for phallic forces, facial expressions an
human abstracts
 M is used to code any movement reported that involves non-human and non-
animal objects
 Responses can be fireworks, explosions, blood dripping, water falling, trees
bending, a flower opening, clouds rising, a flag flying, a cloth being torn, a
bullet smashing through something, flames leaping up, a leaf floating, and so
on.
 It could also be static such as a skin stretched to dry or a coat hanging on the
post – there is unnatural tension state
 A dead person lying on the ground with his head tilted up is coded m
 Practice: How will you code this:
 “A man dangling from a rope”
 “A man lying on the ground”
 “Trees dancing waltz”
 “A flower feeling bad because it’s wilting”

m, F, M, M
 Active-Passive Superscripts (a,p)
 These should be added to all movement answers whether active (superscript a) or
passive (p)
 Rorschach suggested evaluating movements for “flexion” (moving toward the center of
the blot) or “extension” (moving away the center of the blot)
 Beck (1961) called attention to a third movement stance, static while Piotrowski
(1957) studied various kinds of movement answers and suggested differentiations such
as active-passive, cooperative-noncooperative, and aggressive-friendly.
 Active-passive provides the most consistently valid interpretation
Ex: Passive – whispering, standing, looking; Active – yelling, arguing
 The decision to code active or passive must be made in the context of the complete
response
 Practice: How will you code this:
Active or Passive?
 “An abstract of fireworks exploding on the 4 th of July.”
 “A painting of two people struggling to lift something.”
 “A drawing of two lions climbing a mountain.”

 - mp, Mp, FMp

 Chromatic Color Determinants
 - The Comprehensive system adapted the original criteria by Rorschach for
chromatic color responses
 - People are impressed with chromatic colors and they were used as factors
forming their responses in the five blots
 - 3 categories of chromatic color responses
 1. those based exclusively on the color features (C)
 2. those based primarily on the color features but also involving form (CF)
 3. those based primarily on form but also involving color (FC)
 - He also used a separate coding (CC) in one example protocols to note an
instance in which the colors were named
 Chromatic Color Determinants
 Except for Beck, systematizers proliferated the chromatic color scoring
categories
 Special codings for color projections, color denial, crude color, color
description, color symbolism, arbitrary color and forced color are found in their
systems
 However, there is no empirical evidence to support the usefulness of the variety
of proliferation categories for coding chromatic color answers, with possible
exceptions of color naming and projection.
The Comprehensive System includes four color:
 1. C = Pure color 3. FC = Form color
 2. CF = Color-Form 4. Cn = Color naming
 Pure Color Response (C)
 C coding I used for answers based exclusively on the chromatic features of the
blot
 It is the least frequent color response and is identified by the complete lack of
form
 Examples of pure C are blood, paint, water, and ice cream
 But Blood running down or A scoop of ice cream is CF rather than C
 A drop of blood has a contour, but the contour can take an infinite number of
shapes = C
 An almost perfectly round drop of blood, or A drop of blood that looks like it
has splattered outward = CF
 Practice: How will you code this:
 “Somebody threw a lot of color there.... All those color, that’s like
paint”
 It’s all an abstract of some sort.... It’s the same on both sides as if
to give each of the colors a double meaning, as if the painter was
trying to convey something by the design that he selected which is
very pretty by the way”

 - C, CF
 Color-Form Response
 CF response is one in which the answer has been formulated primarily because of
the color, but also includes form use
Ex: Two scoops of raspberry sherbet, or orange flames shooting from a forest fire
 However, majority of CF answers will involve objects that do have some form
demand
 CF responses can be identified because the emphasis on color is clearly evident
Ex: A pretty flower... It’s beautiful orange with green leaves and this is the stem part
 All flowers which have a relatively common form would be FC
 All lakes which have ambiguous forms are CF
 Practice: How will you code this:
 - “A pretty flower, here is the stem, the leaves and this is the flower,
it is in the pot. It’s a pretty orange flower”
 - “It’s a forest, you can see the shapes of some trees and bushes and
this might be a road running down the middle”
 - “A very exotic butterfly, it has unusual wings and a narrow body,
some are red like this too”

 - FC, F, FC
 Form-Color Response
 - FC response represents the most controlled use of color
 - Used when the form features are given primary emphasis in the
answer and the color is also used for purposes of elaboration or
clarification
 - Ex: A butterfly... A red one, these are the wings and the little body
 - The possibility that an answer should be coded FC should never be
rejected simply because the object reported does not have a specific
form requirement
 - Ex: anatomy, sea animals or even blood cells can be coded as FC
 Practice: How will you code this:
 - “An anatomy chart, the side is the pink lings, the rib cage is here,
and I guess this part is the lower organs, it’s probably the stomach
and the intestines.”
 - “Yellow daffodils, I think daffodils have petals like this, see the
stem here and the flower part. Most daffodils are yellow like this.”
 - “This red, it’s like blood, all red like that”
 - “It’s blue so it could be water

 - CF, CF, C, C
 The Step-Down Principle
 - Ex: The red must be blood, it’s on these bears that are probably
fighting with each other
 *Read blood would typically be coded C
 *The coding is stepped down one interval to CF because of the
direct proximity to an object with form
 - Ex: Two bears that are fighting, maybe they are hurt because this
red in the background is like blood
 * The coding would remain C because the blood is not on the bears,
even though it is associated with them
 Direct Unequivocal Color Use
 - If color is not so obvious, in which the color and the content appear
to converge, the examiner should inquire
 - Ex: That red could be blood; The orange might be a fire or
something; This blue part might be water
 - The responses were not definite, there is equivocation such as
could be, might be or is probably.
 - To further test the color, the examiner may ask “I’m not sure what
makes it look like.... Or, What is there about it that makes it look
like...?
 Color Naming Response (Cn)
 - Rorschach gave little attention to color naming other than to
score it CC
 - Piotrowski (1936) introduced the use of the symbol Cn for color
naming
 - He did not consider it to be a genuine color response but rather
an acknowledgement of the presence of color
 - The limited research on color naming suggests that it can have
diagnostic value.
 - The chromatic colors in the figures are named (that’s red, or it’s
green, yellow and blue) and the name is intended as a response
 Achromatic color Determinants
 - Rorschach did not suggest a coding for the use of achromatic color as a
determinant
 - it was used by Klopfer and Miale (1938) using the symbol C’
 - Binder (1932) who proposed the “chiaroscuro” responses implied that they are
interpretatively different than responses using the light-dark features as “shading”
 - Klopfer defined the C’ response as one in which the black, gray, or white
features of the blot are used as color
 - The criterion requires that the use of the achromatic features of the blot, as color,
must be clear and unequivocal
 - Black, Grey and White
 - Light and dark may both indicate color and shading
 - X-ray responses may be coded as achromatic color, shading features or F
 How to Rule out
 - If the intent is not clear that the words light or dark, or the
phrase, the way the colors are, pertain to achromatic color, the
coding for diffuse shading should be entered
 - Caution must also be used about other key words that convey
achromatic color, black, white, grey because they only denote
location
 - Ex: This white part looks like.... or This dark area could be....
 - The decision to code for achromatic color hinges on the rule
that the intent of the person is clear and unequivocal
 Pure Achromatic Color Response (C’)
 - C’ response is based entirely on the achromatic features of
the blot
 - It is very uncommon and is identified by the absence of
form
 - Ex: white snow or it look like a mud to me, it’s black, all
of it, it’s black just like me
 Achromatic Color-Form Response (C’F)
 - C’F response is based primarily on the achromatic color
features, and form is used secondarily as an elaboration
 - It is clear that the answer would not have been formulated
without the achromatic features of the blot being involved,
and the form features often are vague or undifferentiated
 - Ex: A black sky with white clouds
 Form-Achromatic Color Response
 - FC’ code is used when form is the primary
determinant and achromatic color is used secondarily
 - It is the most frequent of the achromatic color
responses and is usually easy to identify because of
the emphasis on the form features
 - Ex: Black bat, or Black bird
 Practice: How will you code this:
 - “A piece of coal, it must be coal, it’s dark like coal”
 - “A silhouette of a tree”
 - “Pieces of black coral, they are four”
 - “Halloween figures in ghost costumes, they are white”
 - “Grey ants and insects”

 - C’F, FC’, C’F, FC’, FC’

 Shading Determinants
 - This is the least researched determinant categories
 - Rorschach did not mention sharing or “chiaroscuro” in his monograph because
his cards contained only modest variations in hue
 - Binder(1954) was the first to systematically develop a more extensive scoring
for the shading features, following some of the inferences that had been offered
by Rorschach
 - He suggested 4 basic types of shading responses but suggests codings for only
two of these:
 1. Hell-Dunkel (using the symbol Hd) – refers to answers based on “the diffuse
total impression of the light and dark values of the whole card”
 2. F (Fb) – shading is differentiated within the blot area
 Shading Determinants
 - Piotrowski, in addition to coding for achromatic color, used two categories for
shading responses:
 1. c or Fc – for shading and/ or texture responses prompted by the light shades of
grey
 2. c’ or Fc’ – used where the dark nuances of the blot are involved, or when a
dysphoric mood is expressed
 - Rapaport also included 2 categories for shading
 1. Ch, ChF, or FCh – represents all shading responses except those falling into the
second category
 2. (C)F or F(C) – for the chiaroscuro answer in which the shading components
specify important inner details, or for Color-Form responses that include reference to
 Shading Determinants
 - Hertz includes 3 categories of shading responses, in
addition to achromatic color
 1. c, cF, or Fc – for responses in which the shading features
produce a textual, surface, or reflective quality
 2. (C), (C)F, and F(C) – for answers where shading
precipitate the interpretation of a 3-dimensional effect
 3. Ch, ChF, or FCh – used for all other shading responses
 Shading Determinants
 - Beck also uses 3 categories for shading responses
 1. T, TF, or FT – denotes answer in which the shading
features create the impression of texture
 2. V, VF, or FV – for responses in which shading contributes
to the interpretation of depth or distance
 3. Y, YF, or FY – used for all other types of shading
responses and is also used when achromatic color is involved
 Shading Determinants
 - Klopfer approach to shading is the most complex, he is actually the first, after
Binder to formulate multiple categories for the coding and interpretation of
shading responses
 1. c, CF, or Fc – used for responses in which shading is interpreted to represent
textual, surface, or reflective qualities (similar to Hertz and Beck’s coding of T)
 2. K and KF – for responses in which the shading is perceived as diffuse
(similar to Binder’s Hd, the Rapaport and Hertz Ch and the Beck Y)
 3. FK – represent instances where shading is used for vista, linear perspective,
reflections, and landscapes (similar to the Hertz us of © and the Beck V)
 4. k, kF, or Fk – defined as a 3-dimensional expanse projected on a two-
dimensional plane (i.e., X-ray or topographical map responses)
 Shading Determinants
 - The Comprehensive System is essentially that of Beck (T, V, and
Y), but the criteria for 2 of the 3 categories are more restricted than
suggested by Beck
 1. The Vista category – includes only responses in which shading is
present
 2. Diffuse Shading category – excludes achromatic color responses
 - The decision to code for shading sometimes seems more difficult
because people usually use color to denote contrast effects or they
may say, it’s the way the lines go in there, which sounds like form
use but really is a reference to different levels of saturation
 Textual Determinant
 - One of the 3 codes for texture (FT, TF, or T) is used when the shading
features are interpreted to represent a tactual impression
 - This refers to the notion that the object has tactual features such as
being soft, hard, smooth, rough, silky, grainy, furry, cold, hot, sticky, or
greasy
 - Texture should not be assumed simply because such words are used
 - Responses will contain some clue that texture may be included, such
as using words like shaggy, furry, hot and so on or the nature of the
object itself such as a rug, a coat, some ice and so on
 - Some people will actually rub the blot but not necessarily articulate
shading. This implies texture
 Pure Texture Response (T)
 - T response is the least common of the 3 kinds of texture
 - It is for shading components of the blot are represented as
textural, with no form involvement
 - The difference between T from TF answer is essentially
the same as differentiating C from CF
 - Ex: Wood, flesh, ice, fleece, wool, grease, hair and silk
 Texture-Form Response
 - TF response is when shading features are
interpreted as texture and form used secondarily
 - Ex: chunk of ice, an oily rag, a piece of fur or some
very hard metal
 - When a specific form is used but it is clear that the
shading precipitated the response
 - Something breaded, like shrimp, yeah, it’s fried shrimp
 Form-Texture Response
 - FT is used when form is primary determinant and the shading
features, articulated as tactual, are used secondarily
 - Mostly involved objects that have specific form requirements
 - Examples
 1. Cards 2 and 8 are sometimes elaborated as furry because of the
light-dark features
 2. Card 4 is frequently perceived as being furry
 3. Animal skin response in Card 6 is the most frequently given of all
texture answers
 Practice: How will you code this:
 - “Velvet suits, it looks velvet to me, dark skiny velvet”
 - “It looks like a sticky mess”
 - “It’s a lot lighter on the outside like very hot metal”
 - “It looks grainy, like sherbet is grainy”
 - “It looks like the fur is pretty well worn, smooth (rubs)”

 - FT, T, FT, TF, FT

 Shading-Dimensionality Determinant (Vista)
 - This is the least used light-dark features of the blot
 - These answers are marked by the use of the shading to alter the flat perspective of
the blot stimulus as in “it’s down in, it’s behind, it’s rounded at the edges, it’s
higher than, it’s folded over, it’s an aerial view of”.... so on.
 - The most troublesome differentiations concerning vista are those involving the
possibility of texture.
 - For instance, it is relatively easy to discriminate the rough mountain range (vista)
from rough sandpaper (texture)
 - Sometimes words like bumpy, indented, or rough can imply either vista or texture
 - Ex: This looks like the brain, see the way the lines are there gives the impression
of the convulsions, it looks very bumpy (vista)
 - It looks like it would feel very bumpy if you touch it (texture)
 Pure Vista Response (V)
 - V answer is extremely rare
 - Requires that the person report depth or dimensionality
based exclusively on the shading characteristics of the blot,
with no form involvement
 - Ex: It just looks deep, it’s just all dark way down, I don’t
understand it
 - But with elaboration saying “it looks deeper in the middle
than on the sides,” the coding is VF rather than V
 Vista-Form Response

 - VF is coded for answers in which the primary emphasis is

on the shading features to represent depth or
dimensionality
 - Most VF responses involve contents that do not have
specific form requirements
 - Ex: “up and down, like one of those maps, like in
geography class with the darker mountains and the plateaus
are lighter,” or “a deep canyon with a river running in
there, the dark line is the river down in and the rest is the
 Form-Vista Response
 - FV is the most commonly assigned for vista responses
 - The form is the primary feature in the answer and the shading is
used in a more secondary manner to represent depth or
dimensionality
 - Ex: Bridges, dams and waterways are the common vista, or behind
a curtain, or wearing a dress you can see through
 - However, wells or cisterns have a reasonably specific form, yet
most responses involving wells are coded VF because the shading
was more emphasized rather than form features
 Practice: How will you code this:
 - “A worm or caterpillar, coming out from under the leaf”
 - “This part is the bottom and you can see the sides coming
up to the top part”
 - “There is a deep crack right down the center, see the dark
part and it look like the sight side is lower”

 - FV, VF, V
 Diffuse Shading Determinant
 - This refers to any shading response that is not texture or vista is coded as
diffuse shading
 - This is when shading features are used in a nonspecific, more general
manner than is the case in either vista or texture answers
 - Diffuse shading may be used as primary to the formation of an answer, or
secondary to provide greater specification to an answer that is based
predominantly on form
 - If the examiner is not convinced that the light or dark features are being
used as achromatic color, the coding for diffuse shading should be assigned
 - Ex: The different pinks make it look rotten, or It has different greys in it,
like during a storm, or The way the coloring comes together gives the
impression of dried blood
 Pure Shading Response(Y)
 - The scoring of Y is used for answers based
exclusively on the light-dark features of the blot
 - No form is involved, and the content used typically
has no form feature
 - Ex: Mist, fog, darkness, and smoke
 Shading-Form Response (YF)
 - YF response is one in which the light-dark features of the
blot are primary to the formation of the response and form
is used secondarily
 - YF answer ordinarily has an ambiguous or nonspecific
form requirement
 -Ex: Clouds, shadows, nonspecific types of X-rays, and
smoke associated with a specific form object such as,
smoke coming out of this fire
 Form-Shading Response (FY)
 - FY code is used for responses in which form is primary to the
formation of the answer, and shading is used as an elaboration
 - Shadows associated with specific content, X-rays of specific
features, and elaborations about objects that have specific form
requirements, such as dirty face, are among the commonly
reported FY responses
 - Cloud = Y
 - When shading is associated with the cloud = YF
 - It looks like a cloud building up with the flat top, like a cumulus
cloud ready to rain, it’s all dark = FY
 Practice: How will you code this:
 - “It just look like darkness to me, I can’t tell you why?”
 - “It is different colors, like an X-ray”
 - “It looks like light is in the top, it’s lighter there as if the sun was
shining on it”
 - “It look like bones drying up, this outer part is lighter so it must be
drier”

 - Y, YF, FY, YF
 Form Dimension Response (FD)
 - FD is coded for answers that involve impressions of depth, distance, or
dimension that are not based on shading features
 - These is no coding comparable to it in the other Rorschach systems,
although Beck and Klopfer have noted the existence of such answers
 - Size differentiation is the element that identifies the necessity to code
FD
 - Ex: The feet are so much bigger than the head, he must be lying down,
or It’s so small, it must be way off in the distance
 - The absence of object is translated by the individual to mean that depth
or dimensionality – e.g., I can only see the leg and part of the arm, so it
must be behind this...
 Pair and Reflection Responses
 - This is not part of any other Rorschach system
 - Used when a response used the symmetry of the blot to
specify two identical objects
 - The coding symbol is the Arabic numeral 2
 - There is only one coding for the pair answer (2), whereas
two (Fr and rF) are used for types of reflection answers
 Pair Response (2)
 - Used whenever the symmetry features of the blot precipitate the report
that two of the perceived object are present
 - It is not used when the object is interpreted as being reflected, because
reflection code already denotes that two of the objects are being seen
 - Usually reported as “There are two...” or a plural of the object may be
used as in “bears, dogs, people,” or a synonym for two may be employed
such as “a couple of ...”
 - Ex: “This looks like a dog, there is one in each side”
 - It shall not be coded if the objects are differentiated...”This looks like
two people, one male, one female,” or “on fatter, one bigger, one darker...
etc.”
 Form-Reflection Response (Fr)
 - The coding of reflections includes the same requirement,
but the person reports as being reflected or as a mirror
image
 - Usually, movement is also associated with reflection
 - Ex: Someone looking in the mirror, or An animal stepping
over some rocks, it’s all reflected down here
 Reflection-Form Response (rF)
 - rF coding is used for responses in which the symmetry features
of the blot are primary in determining the answer, and form is
used non-specifically, or ambiguously, as an object being
reflected
 - Ex: All this is reflected in the water, you see it here too
 - rF answers are uncommon and always involve contents with
non specific form requirements such as clouds, rocks, shadows,
and rain
 Practice: How will you code this:
 - “A couple of donkeys, there is one on each side”
 - “Well all of this on side is being reflected here, it’s like a
cloud I guess”
 - “Two little birds who are peeking their heads out of a
nest”
 - “He is bending forward like he’s looking at himself”

 -(2), rF, (2), Fr

 Blend response (.)
 - This means that more than one determinant has been used in
forming the response
 - When this occurs, each determinant should be entered,
separated from each other by a dot (.)
 - Ex: “Well all of this on side is being reflected here, it’s like a
cloud I guess” = YF.rF (which indicates that the determinant
both indicate shading-form and reflection-form responses)
 - END -

Thank you for listening!