Author Question: Give an example of the Barnum effect. What will be an ideal ... (Read 71 times)

littleanan

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 575
Give an example of the Barnum effect.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Becky reads her horoscope every day and strongly believes that her personality matches the description of being a Virgo.
 
  Since her birthday is in early September, she thinks the horoscopes are right on in describing her. You have just learned about horoscopes in your personality course. What do you tell her about how horoscopes are as a measure of personality?
  What will be an ideal response?



tsternbergh47

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 311
Answer to Question 1

Answer: The Barnum effect is the tendency for people to believe vague, positive statements about themselves. People who believe their horoscopes will come true might be influenced in this way.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: Since horoscopes are based on our birthdays, they are generally reliable in the sense of determining who is a Virgo, or other sign. However, studies testing personality and zodiac signs do not show convergent validity.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
 

Did you know?

If you could remove all of your skin, it would weigh up to 5 pounds.

Did you know?

Although the Roman numeral for the number 4 has always been taught to have been "IV," according to historians, the ancient Romans probably used "IIII" most of the time. This is partially backed up by the fact that early grandfather clocks displayed IIII for the number 4 instead of IV. Early clockmakers apparently thought that the IIII balanced out the VIII (used for the number 8) on the clock face and that it just looked better.

Did you know?

Cancer has been around as long as humankind, but only in the second half of the twentieth century did the number of cancer cases explode.

Did you know?

Women are 50% to 75% more likely than men to experience an adverse drug reaction.

Did you know?

The first documented use of surgical anesthesia in the United States was in Connecticut in 1844.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library