Universal Popular Responses to Inkblots in Five Cultures: Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico and United States

Abstract

Klopfer and Kelly in 1942 predicted that “a sufficient number of frequency counts” would indicate universality of response to certain inkblots by groups, e.g. cultural. Group administration and the development of a computer based scoring program has enabled the authors to examine adequate frequencies across five cultures (Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, United States) and validate the prediction. Using Holtzman's criterion for Popular, universality was found in 23 inkblots and near-universality in 10 additional. The core concept person accounted for the populars in 15 instances; other concepts were animal, fowl, face or mask, person-riding-animal, landscape, butterfly or moth, seahorse, fish, and rain or storm. Across all five cultures there was much more commonality than differences in perception of inkblots.

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