Developments in the Rorschach Technique, Volume II. Ed. Klopfer. pp. 828. Harraps. 50/'.

The second volume of this book, edited by Klopfer, contains contributions by many well known (with one exception) American Rorschach workers. In its first three sections it refers to the fields of :

1. Genetic Psychology, chiefly emphasising applications of the test to Child Guidance.

2. Medical Psychology, with two long chapters of the five in this section usefully devoted to the diagnosis of organic brain

damage. 3. Social, Anthropological, and Industrial Psychology. In the final section theoretical issues are discussed together

with the inter-relationship of the Rorschach and other psychological tests. A valuable bibliography and cumulative index to both volumes is included.

The area of application is wide, consideration being given to the intention expressed in the introduction to Volume I, that the books taken together should "attempt to combine the best features of a technical monograph, a manual and a handbook."

The Editor rightly points out that the texts of Volumes I and II reveal an increase of sophistication in the use of the Rorschach technique over the past decade. This is particularly apparent in the comprehensive discussion and analysis of the many sample Rorschach protocols included in Volume II. Thus the level of analysis of

115

records makes it clear that these volumes are not intended as

introductory texts for the Rorschach novice. This would be no

criticism, rather otherwise, were Volume II more practically useful to the working psychologist. It is however not easy to see who this book is for.

On the one hand several general psychological issues are dis- cussed ; research methods applicable to developmental psychology, perception, the emergence of culture and personality in psycho- logical history, industrial selection methods, etc.

On the other, accounts are included of quite specific investi- gations such as the use made by clinics of the Rorschach, or

comparisons of the levels tapped by this and other tests, and so on. Undoubtedly these issues, the broad theoretical bases of thought which underlie Rorschach work, as well as clear cut studies of the fields of Rorschach test applicability are of great importance. It is true that the acknowledged bias of this reviewer towards the

acquisition of concrete Rorschach data, may have led to unfair undervaluation of other approaches. However a "handbook" should at least provide sufficient factual information to advance the individual worker in his immediate diagnostic effectiveness. It is the insufficiency of such data which is the main shortcoming of the book. The outstanding exception is Gertrude Baker's chapter on the Diagnosis of Organic Brain Damage in Adults, which, if it

represented only the accumulated experience of this worker, is so well formulated that it will be of great value to many.

Nearly two hundred pages are given to the use of the Rorschach test with children. At the end one knows very little more about the type of psychogram to be expected in the main types of children's disorders. Even if the narrow diagnostic approach be considered irrelevant in this field, one might still look for em-

pirically established information concerning degree of disorder, prognosis for therapy, etc. At the very least some report on the

applicability of the writers' own "interpretive hypotheses" to

children's records is indispensible. To some extent this is done, particularly in the discussion of

concept formation. This however has already been covered more systematically by the Gesell Institute. Unquestionably the most stimulating contribution in the section on genetic psychology is that inter-relating Rorschach findings with material from therapy sessions. This is a deep rather than wide investigation suggesting new ways in which the Rorschach test may be employed clinically and validated longitudinally. And indeed the chief value of the whole volume rests in its forward looking chapters. For this all

psychologists will be grateful. It remains for a systematically retrospective study to be published. Glare A. Hyman.

116