Barnum Effect Refers to the Essay

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In other words templates are not meant to be all encompassing observation tools, and a psychologist must utilize as much or even more than he or she knows to assist individuals in self-understanding and advocacy, in couple with real valid observational data. (517) One danger in the application of psychology is to over emphasize self-advocacy and under play individual character traits that are negatively effecting the individual. When a psychologist councils an individual he or she may need to do a certain amount of flattering, to make sure that the difficult process of self-observation and reflection does not scare the individual away from using it. In other words, sometimes internal and personality motivations are not what we want to hear about ourselves, particularly when they contradict "ideas" we have about ourselves as good decent people. The psychologist must find a balance and help the individual look at the good and bad of self, so the individual sees the whole picture and can affect change in behavior that does not serve him or her. (517)

According to the text three ways that an individual (and even a psychologist) can avoid the pitfalls of the "Barnum effect" would be to: 1. Avoid: "all purpose" general descriptions that might apply to anyone. 2.Be aware of the "confirmation bias" where someone is able to get enough information right that the listener ignores all that he or she might have gotten wrong.

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3. Lastly resist flattery, as many such schemes are demonstrative of flattery, as a way to "sell" their product, which turns out to be a false "read" on an individual that could unduly influence behavior even if it is false and vague.

For the purpose of understanding the self, an individual must really look at their own actions, and personality traits, but most specifically at information that challenges long held falsehoods about who they are and how they live their life. The job of the psychologist is often to give an individual cues as to just how to do this, but not necessarily give them all the answers. The individual if successful in intervention must be able to apply the tools given to later observation of self, without falling prey to the "Barnum effect" by utilizing self flattery, to avoid the root cause and/or dynamic problems that might be a part of core behavior that is a result of real personality. (516) it is the psychologists job to guide people to these tools and them help them use them, in such a way that they then can use them again….....

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