Barnum effect: We always believe what we want to believe.

Bertram Forer, a psychologist, conducted a personality test on students at 1948, asking students to rate the fit between the test results and their own characteristics, with 0 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. In fact, all students get the same "personal analysis".

Results The average score was 4.26. In fact, Fowler collected these contents from the description of the relationship between constellation and personality. It can be seen from the description of the analysis report that many sentences are applicable to anyone, and these sentences were later named barnum sentences after barnum.

In another study of Barnum Effect Test, students used Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Questionnaire (MMPI), and then the researchers evaluated the report. The researchers first write down the correct evaluation of students' personality, but give them two evaluations, one is correct and the other is wrong, that is, use some vague and general evaluations. When students were asked which evaluation report they thought was the best for them, more than half (59%) chose a fake evaluation report.

In psychology, the cause of Barnum effect is considered to be the role of subjective verification. Subjective verification means that if we are willing to believe something, we can always collect all kinds of evidence to support ourselves. Even if it doesn't matter, we can still find a logic and make it conform to our own ideas. In our hearts, "self" occupies most of the space, and everything about "me" is very important. Our license plate number, ringtone, computer desktop and bedroom wallpaper will be carefully designed by ourselves to reflect our unique personality.

There is also the so-called "flattery effect". Most people prefer to believe things that make them look more positive and positive. So they will agree that they still have a lot of untapped potential, and they are people who like to think independently.

In addition, Barnum effect also reflects a trend of high self-identity for general and inaccurate descriptions.

Fortune tellers in traditional astrology and astrology often use Barnum effect to defend themselves and lure more people to come to him for fortune telling. Generally speaking, people who ask fortune tellers for help are ill-fated and depressed. Repeated setbacks in life make them feel insecure, and their dependence on fate is easy to accept the hints of fortune tellers. Fortune-tellers are good at using barnum's "generalization and general description of personality" to ponder each other's inner feelings and tell some ambiguous past judgments and future predictions. Words are general and abstract, which are common in life. Because fortune tellers often regard fortune tellers as prophets and messengers of God, fortune tellers will feel "accurate" when they "break through the past and point to their own wishes". So Barnum effect is also called astrological effect.