The Barnum Effect in a Computerized Rorschach Interpretation System

Twelve psychiatric outpatients were administered the Rorschach test, and results were interpreted using the Exner (1983, 1986) Report for the Comprehensive System computer-based test interpretation (CBTI) program. Four psychiatrists made accuracy ratings for both real and bogus reports for each of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of psychology 1990-03, Vol.124 (2), p.217-222
Main Authors: Prince, Ronald J., Guastello, Stephen J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Computers
Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Mental Disorders - diagnosis
Middle Aged
Nosology. Terminology. Diagnostic criteria
Outpatient care facilities
Psychiatric Department, Hospital
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychometrics
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Reproducibility of Results
Rorschach Test
Social research
Software
Techniques and methods
Tests
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Summary:Twelve psychiatric outpatients were administered the Rorschach test, and results were interpreted using the Exner (1983, 1986) Report for the Comprehensive System computer-based test interpretation (CBTI) program. Four psychiatrists made accuracy ratings for both real and bogus reports for each of their patients. Data were analyzed using two-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs), where report type was a repeated main effect, psychiatrist was a random main effect, and the number of statements in the report was the covariate. Results indicated that this CBTI provided only 5% discriminating power for any one patient, with 60% of the interpretive statements merely describing typical characteristics of the outpatient population. No significant psychiatrist, interaction, or covariate effects were encountered.
ISSN:0022-3980
1940-1019
DOI:10.1080/00223980.1990.10543218