Rosenhan 1973

Aim

Psychologists cannot tell the difference between who is mentally ill and who is not.

Method

The main study is considered a field study. The manipulation of the IV was the made up symtoms of the psuedo patients and the dependent variable was the psychiatrists addmissions and diognostic lable of the psuedo patient. The study also involved participant observation, since, once admitted as the ward as a whole operated, as well as how they were personally treated. 

The psuedo patients gave a false name and job (to protect their future health and employment records), but all other details they gave were true including general ups and downs of life, relationships, events of history life and more.

The first part of the study involved 8 sane people attempting to get into 12 different hospitals in 5 different states of the USA. There were three women and five men.

These psuedo patients telephoned the hospitals asking for an appointment and arrived at the addmissions office complaining that they were hearing voices. They said the voice, which was unfamilar and the same sex as themselves, was often unclear but said 'hollow', 'empty', 'thud'.

In four of the hospitals the psuedo patients carried out an observation of behaviour with…