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Hallowell studies the effects of a disintegrating culture on the personalities of the Ojibway Indians. Outwardly the natives resemble white men in their behavior but deeper investigation shows marked differences. Tracing the tribal values that have been handed down by tradition, Hallowell finds a predominant trend toward passive dependency on nature and superhuman spirits which actually stood the people in good stead in their ancient conditions of life. With exposure to new economic and cultural influences, the older values are detrimental but still prevail beneath the outer conformance to the white man's civilization. Passive dependency now manifests itself in drunkenness, in the failure to seek employment and in a resultant loss of self-regard. Aggression, which had formerly found its outlet in the secret practice of sorcery, now erupts in outbursts of hostility and in crime.
Hallowell holds that culture plays an integrative role in the development and functions of the personality. In the present plight of the Ojibways there is evidence that this integrative process does not take place and that consequently there is a frustration of maturing tendencies, if not actual regression. The Rorschach data on these tribes show little difference between adults and children.