A Little Something for Everyone

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:

1. You have a great need for other people to like and admire you.
2. You have a tendency to be critical of yourself.
3. You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage.
4. While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them.
5. Your sexual adjustment has presented problems for you.
6. Disciplined and self-controlled outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure inside.
7. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing.
8. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations.
9. You pride yourself as an independent thinker and do not accept others’ statements without satisfactory proof.
10. You have found it unwise to be too frank in reveling yourself to others.
11. At times you are extroverted, affable, and sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, reserved.
12. Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic.
13. 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.