Here’s Looking at You

Abstract

This study represents the beginning of a systematic effort to utilize eye-movement responses in order to better understand individuals’ processing strategies during the Rorschach Inkblot Method (RIM). Eye movements reflect moment-by-moment spatial and temporal processing of visual information and represent a useful approach for studying the RIM with potential clinical implications. Thirteen participants responded to the Rorschach while eye movements were being monitored. Several eye-movement indices were studied which reflect different aspects of information processing. Differences among the Rorschach cards were found for several eye-movement indices. For example, fixation durations were longer during a second viewing of the cards than during the first. This is consonant with an attempt to acquire conceptually difficult information, as participants were reinterpreting the cards. Results are discussed in terms of visual information processing strategies during the RIM and the potential usefulness of eye movements as a response measure to the RIM.