The Forer Effect

By Deane Barker

People will easily identify with vague personal descriptions or attributes. Almost everyone has something in their person nature that can be reconciled with some description of a personality trait.

Examples

Most horoscopes are based on the Forer Effect. They’re very vague, and people who want to believe in them can search their history or personality and find characteristics that match up.

A claimed psychic might do a “cold reading,” which means they ask general questions like, “Is someone here today mourning the death of a loved one?” and then follow-up with things like, “I’m sensing that you respected them a great deal.”

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