Holtzman inkblot technique


The Holtzman inkblot technique, also known as the Holtzman inkblot test, is an ink blot test aimed at detecting personality and was conceived by Wayne H. Holtzman and colleagues. It was first introduced in 1961 as a projective personality test similar to the Rorschach. The HIT is a standardized measurement. The Holtzman Inkblot Test was developed as an attempt to address some controversial issues surrounding the Rorschach Inkblot Test.

Purpose

The Holtzman inkblot test was invented as an attempt to address some issues surrounding the Rorschach Inkblot Test. The HIT was used to assess the personal structure of the subject.

Scoring

The scoring includes 22 variables covering the aspects of the patient's response to the inkblot. Many different variables apply when scoring.

22 variables and abbreviations applied

Test standardization

U.S. and Mexico

The test correlation between U.S. and Mexican populations has been estimated to range from.36 for Popular to.81 for normal adults. The most stable of the inkblot scores was Location in the United States and Mexico. Reaction,Time, Form Definiteness, Movement, and Human also scored relatively high in both cultures. However, these aspects test more of the cognitive-perceptual aspects rather than personality characteristics. Rejection, Form Appropriateness, Shading, Pathognomic Verbalization, Barrier, and Penetration had lower stability coefficients while Space, Sex, Abstract and Balance proved to be extremely infrequent in the children's samples. Test results generally became more stable with age. The children showed a much weaker stability of data than that of older patients and adults possessed the greatest stability of information.