Rorschach shading responses: from a printer's error to an integrated psychoanalytic paradigm

Beginning with a review of the historical development, the current status, and the empirical foundations of Rorschach shading responses, I then explore how the 4 psychologies of psychoanalysis can help generate inferences about clinical issues suggested by these responses. The contributions and limitations of this theory-based approach to understanding shading responses are demonstrated and discussed through clinical examples and a review of theoretical concepts and empirical findings.