I am sure most of you must have given those personality test
which claims to tell about you and your personality by the way you eat, sleep,
date or month you were born in, your favorite flower, or by the color of
pajamas you wear. Or you must have met an astrologer who knew more about you than
you yourself just by reading your hand, face or even feet. You may be surprised
to see how many people actually believe in these stuff, may be you did too? (Stop
smiling now). Even if you did, it’s not your fault. So, do the astrologers
really have the power to peak into your mind, body and soul? Or did the psychologists
really did some research on color of our pajamas. Deep down inside, we all know
that most of these things are bogus. So, why do people falls in trap of
astrologers, palmist etc.? Why do people believe in these personality tests?
The answer is simple it’s called the Forer Effect or the Barnum effect. Barnum
statements are usually favorable and true for a larger group of people in the
society.
In 1948, a famous psychologist Bertram R. Forer conducted an
experiment in his class. He asked his students to complete a personality questionnaire
and told them that they will be given an analysis of their personality on the
basis of that questionnaire. In reality, all students were given the same
profile, prepared by Forer by compiling together several statements from
different horoscopes. It was consist of following statements:
- You
have a great need for other people to like and admire you.
- You
have a tendency to be critical of yourself.
- You
have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your
advantage.
- While
you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to
compensate for them.
- Your
sexual adjustment has presented problems for you.
- Disciplined
and self-controlled outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure
inside.
- At
times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right
decision or done the right thing.
- You
prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied
when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations.
- You
pride yourself as an independent thinker and do not accept others’
statements without satisfactory proof.
- You
have found it unwise to be too frank in reveling yourself to
others.
- At
times you are extroverted, affable, and sociable, while at other
times you are introverted, wary, reserved.
- Some
of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic.
- Security
is one of your major goals in life
Starting to sound like you, isn't it? That’s because these
statements generally apply to every single one of us at one point or another in
life. The students, unaware of this fact, were then asked to rate their
profiles on a scale of 0(highly inaccurate) to 5(perfect). The class’ average
rating was around 4.26! This was the first time when Barnum Effect was noticed.
There’s no definite explanation as to why Barnum effect happens. It’s universal,
unaffected by age, gender etc.
Barnum Effect is named after the famous showman P.T. Barnum
who used to say “A circus should have a little something for everyone”; just
like a Barnum profile has a little something for every personality. So, as you
are aware of it now, next times onward don’t get fooled by the astrologers,
psychic, or the pajama test who uses this trick on you. Always be skeptical and
keep your money in your wallet.
