Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Rorschach blot from deep space (NGC 5189)

NGC 5189
Hubble Heritage APOD

Another spectacular Hubble image of what is possibly the explosion of one of the stars in a binary system.

"The Rorschach test (also known as the Rorschach inkblot test, the Rorschach technique, or simply the inkblot test) is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both.

Some psychologists use this test to examine a person's personality characteristics and emotional functioning. It has been employed to detect underlying thought disorder, especially in cases where patients are reluctant to describe their thinking processes openly. The test is named after its creator, Swiss psychologist Hermann Rorschach (1884-1922)."
wikipedia

So if you see in the Hubble image a Caribbean pirate or anything resembling a human skull do not worry - such a visual perception is probably not a sign of any deep hidden urge to become a buccaneer.


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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 27, 2014 at 4:22 AM

    I am frankly shocked and dismayed that you saw fit to post that Rorschach inkblot. I do not know how you obtained it, but if you are in the psychology field then you should have known it is very unethical to display a real image because it may compromise future psychodiagnostic testing. If you are not in the field, then I do not comprehend how you got your hands on it. Psychological testing material is protected and not for public consumption. This should not have happened.

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    Replies
    1. UnknownNovember 27, 2014 at 4:36 AM

      Thank you for your comment. Because of it I removed the example taken from Wikimedia Commons where it is publicly displayed.

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