Rorschach

Rorschach may refer to multiple uses in psychology and popular culture. The most well-known is the Rorschach inkblot test, a projective psychological assessment developed by Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach (1884–1922). The test presents ten symmetric inkblot cards, and respondents describe what they see in each blot. Clinicians interpret the patterns of responses to gain insight into perceptual and personality processes, with scoring systems historically including the Comprehensive System developed by John Exner. The test has been used in diagnostic, forensic, and research contexts, but its reliability and validity have been the subject of ongoing debate. Today it remains in use in some settings, often as an exploratory tool rather than a stand-alone diagnostic instrument.

Rorschach also refers to a fictional character, the vigilante Rorschach, from the graphic novel Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Introduced in 1986, the character operates under the alias Walter Kovacs and wears a mask with a black-and-white inkblot motif. Rorschach is depicted as a morally uncompromising figure who investigates crime in an alternate-history Cold War era. The character has been adapted into films and television projects and has become one of the most recognizable figures in comic book storytelling.