Methodological Observations on an Incomplete Replication of Paranoid Indicants in Human Figure Drawings

Abstract

Coyle (1965) attempted the replication of earlier work (Wildman, 1963) and found a difference in performance between male and female Ss. This was not indicated in the earlier study. The studies in question involved the presence of knee or arm joints on human figure drawings as indicating che presence of paranoid trends with drawings obtained from patients in a psychiatric hospital. The original study was done with males and significant differences were obtained, as to the incidence of joints, between those patients who exhibited paranoid behavior and those who did not. Coyle obtained significant differencis for females but not for males. However, the differences approached significance when both males and females were combined. Schmidt and Fonda (1956) found that psychiatric diagnosis was somewhat unreliable when fine distinctions within the group of psychotic disorders were considered. Because of the unreliability of psychiatric diagnoses, Wildman's study was carried out by having judges rate paranoid behavior from material found in the patient's chart. It is speculated that the reason for Coyle's noc obtaining significant differences with males was the basic unreliabiliry of psychiatric diagnoses in terms of meaningful and homogeneous symptomatology. Rating paranoid behavior appears to be more valid for determining paranoid symptomatology than employing psychiatric diagnoses. It is felt that in a replication differences would be significant with both males and females if the rating procedure were followed. Further, in such studies the behavioral classification should prove fruitful and lead to meaningful research.