The Rosenhan Experiment

The Rosenhan Experiment, conducted by psychologist David Rosenhan in 1973, tested the reliability of psychiatric diagnoses. Healthy individuals falsely claimed to hear voices and then exhibited normal behavior to be admitted to mental hospitals. Once admitted, they acted normally, but staff often interpreted their normal actions as symptoms of mental illness. The study revealed that psychiatric diagnoses could be unreliable and that hospitals might overlook or misinterpret patients’ true states. It highlighted issues in mental health diagnosis, the power of hospital labels, and how stigma can affect treatment.