Forer (Barnum) effect

The finding that people tend to believe that a vague description† or prediction, offered for example by a character reader, applies specifically to themselves.

Actors show a willingness to accept the validity or accuracy of such overly inclusive and generic terms – common to people in general – despite little or no individualized information being yielded. Because Barnums are ‘one-size-fits-all’ and don’t provide information distinctive to one particular individual they are not so much wrong as universal, elastic, and essentially useless.

PT Barnum once said that “I try to give a little something to everyone”. Barnum is also credited with “There’s a sucker born every minute”.

A type of Subjective Validation. Positive Barnums are called ‘Pollyanna Principle’ statements.

†Barnum statements: “You have a great deal of unused potential that you have not turned to your advantage”.

“You are sensitive to other people’s needs”.

“You occasionally have difficulty making decisions”.

“You are able to take criticism occasionally”.

Also known as the fallacy of personal validation.

See Carroll for an extended discussion of the Barnum effect.

(see also: Subjective Validation, Selective exposure, Confirmation bias, selective thinking, myside bias, Belief perseverance, cognitive bias, Neutral-evidence principle, Subjective Validation)