"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 revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, affable, 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"
If you thought the above describes your personality - you might well have 'Forer effect'.
In 1948, psychologist Bertram R Forer gave a personality test to his students. Afterward, he told his students they were each receiving a unique personality analysis that was based on the test's results and to rate their analysis on a scale of 0
(very poor) to 5
(excellent) on how well it applied to themselves. In reality, each received the same analysis (as above).
On average, the rating was 4.26, but only after the ratings were turned in was it revealed that each student had received identical copies assembled by Forer.
The tendency for people to take vague outlines and bend them to fit their view of themselves has since been called 'Forer effect'.
[PS: A needless and out of context fact - The shirt I was wearing in 1999 is that of Uday's and it still is with me in good shape, as I am - I might well add :-)]
[PS: A needless and out of context fact - The shirt I was wearing in 1999 is that of Uday's and it still is with me in good shape, as I am - I might well add :-)]
