David Rosenhan (1973) sent eight people to various psychiatric hospitals. All eight falsely reported hearing voices that said "empty," "hollow," and "thud." After being admitted to one of the hospitals, each person acted normally, yet all were diagnosed as having schizophrenia. One of the conclusions from this study is that:

A) clinicians are unable to detect "real" schizophrenia.
B) the expectations produced by labeling can alter perception.
C) hospitals can produce schizophrenic behavior in normal people.
D) auditory hallucinations are sufficient for a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

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Robert Kirby · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : B, Explanation :  The study by David Rosenhan highlighted how the labels associated with mental illness, such as being diagnosed with schizophrenia, can influence the perceptions and treatment of individuals by healthcare professionals, even when those individuals are behaving normally. This phenomenon demonstrates the power of diagnostic labels in shaping perceptions and expectations.

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