In the footsteps of the unconscious – Rorschach and Szondi tests from the notes of Flóra Kozmutza
The document shown in the picture was handwritten by Illyés Gyuláné Kozmutza Flóra and contains the description of the answers to a Rorschach test taken by a test subject, as well as an evaluation sheet for a Szondi test, together with a detailed record of the answers and their professional coding. These two methods were among the most significant projective personality assessment techniques of the mid-20th century, designed to provide insight into the deeper, unconscious processes of the personality.
Flóra Kozmutza (1905–1995) was a psychologist and special education teacher, and one of the leading figures in Hungarian special education psychology. She completed her studies in Budapest, then worked as a student and colleague of Lipót Szondi at the Pathological and Therapeutic Laboratory of the College of Special Education Teacher Training. In connection with Szondi's scholarship diagnostic research, Kozmutza Flóra primarily examined the connections between personality development, choices, and mental structures.
Lipót Szondi (1893–1986) was a Hungarian psychiatrist who developed the theory of fate analysis and the Szondi test. According to his theory, deeply rooted, inherited instinctive forces lie behind the decisions we make in life, such as choosing a profession, partner, or career path. In the Szondi test, the test subject is shown 48 photographs depicting different psychiatric types. The subject must select the faces they find appealing and unappealing from groups of eight. From the resulting selection pattern, the psychologist draws conclusions about unconscious instinctive attitudes, hidden attractions, and aversions. During the evaluation, the repetitions and contradictions in the selections and the structure of the so-called instinct profile reveal the dynamics of the personality.
The Rorschach test is named after Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach (1884-1922). It consists of ten symmetrical inkblot images, which appear in black and white, color, and shades. The test subject is asked to describe what they see in each image—what objects, shapes, movements, or situations the image evokes in them. The examiner must record the answers verbatim, because during the evaluation, not only the content but also the manner of expression, the order of associations, uncertainties, corrections, and reaction time are significant. The interpretation is based on several criteria: it takes into account the quality of the form seen, the reaction to colors, the interpretation of movements, and the balance between the whole and the details. The results reveal the characteristics of the subject's way of thinking, emotional life, and sense of reality.
Flóra Kozmutza used both methods to gain a complex understanding of personality. The meticulousness and accuracy of her handwritten notes demonstrate not only her scientific discipline, but also the fact that preserving individual expression and psychological nuances was of utmost importance to her research. The verbatim recording of Rorschach responses and the detailed completion of the Szondi table both reflect the desire to ensure that nothing is lost in the examination of personality that could lead to a deeper understanding of the human soul.
The evaluation sheets presented here, along with other manuscripts, original typescripts, and books by Dr. Flóra Kozmutza Illyés, were added to the Special Education History Collection of the ELTE Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Education in 2024. The collection also includes original copies of the Rorschach and Szondi tests.
Sources:
Illyés Gy-né. (1987). József Attila utolsó hónapjairól. Szépirodalmi Könyvkiadó
Mérei F. (2002). A Rorschach-próba. Medicina Könyvkiadó Zrt.
Szondi L. (2007). A Szondi-teszt – A kísérleti ösztöndiagnosztika tankönyve. Új Mandátum Könyvkiadó
Written by Veronika Bolla
Photo: The Special Education History Collection of the ELTE Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Education
