Barnum Effect
The Forer effect is more frequently referred to as "The Barnum Effect". This term was coined in 1956 by American psychologist Paul Meehl in his essay, "Wanted - A Good Cookbook". He relates the vague personality descriptions used in certain "pseudo-successful" psychological tests to those given by entertainer and businessman P.T. Barnum, who was a notorious hoaxer.
Read more about this topic: Forer Effect, Origin of Term
Famous quotes containing the words barnum and/or effect:
“It’s a Barnum and Bailey world,
Just as phony as it can be.”
—E.Y. Harburg (1898–1981)
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—Wendy Coppedge Sanford. Ourselves and Our Children, by Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, introduction (1978)