RORSCHACH ORAL IMAGERY, ATTACHMENT STYLE, AND INTERPERSONAL RELATEDNESS

Data on a college sample (n = 198) were used to examine the hypothesiz ed relationship between Rorschach orality and self-reported attachment style. Tle number of Rorschach Human responses was also examined. Hig h orals were more often classified as insecure than low orals. Within the low-oral group, however, subjects who produced no oral responses w ere more likely to be classified as insecure than subjects who produce d one oral response, 78% versus 35%; p <.005. This implies that there is heterogeneity within the low-oral group. Neither orality nor attach ment security was meaningfully related to the number of Human response s provided, but the Human responses provided by insecure (vs. secure) subjects more frequently evidenced themes of struggle. We concluded th at (a) there is a subgroup of low orals who are not interpersonally se cure but who, instead, are insecure and interpersonally anxious; and ( b) unlike the quality of the Human response, the number of Human respo nses may not reflect preoccupations with themes of dependency, attachm ent, and interpersonal relatedness.