Rosenhan's study showed the power of labels from "summary" of The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson
Rosenhan's study, as detailed in 'The Psychopath Test,' vividly illustrates the immense influence that labels can have on our perceptions and behaviors. In the study, participants feigned symptoms of mental illness to gain admission to psychiatric hospitals. Once admitted, they acted normally and waited to see if they would be released. However, they found themselves trapped in a web of assumptions and biases based solely on the initial label of "mentally ill."The staff at the hospitals interpreted every action of the participants through the lens of mental illness, even behaviors that were perfectly normal. For instance, taking notes was seen as a symptom of pathological writing behavior. The participants' attempts to leave the hospitals were viewed as denial of illness rather than a desire for freedom. This demonstrates how once a label is applied, it can color our ...
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