Bertram R. Forer: 2 ideas worth knowing

2 ideas from Bertram R. Forer, each explained in a minute and credited to the original work. Free on Savvy.

A personality profile written for everyone can feel like it was written just for you
In 1948, Bertram Forer gave students a personality test, then handed every single one of them an identical, vague profile lifted from a newsstand astrology column — and asked them …
— Bertram Forer, The Fallacy of Personal Validation: A Classroom Demonstration of Gullibility
A personality description vague enough to fit anyone will still feel written just for you
In 1948, Bertram Forer gave students a 'personalized' personality assessment that was actually identical for everyone, built from vague horoscope-like statements. Students rated it…
— Bertram R. Forer, The Fallacy of Personal Validation: A Classroom Demonstration of Gullibility

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