1. Rosenhan (1973) Flashcards
1
Q
Aim, Sample, Method
A
Aim:
- To see if psychiatrists can diagnose insanity;
- To report on the experience of psychiatric hospitalisation
Participants:
- The workers and patients in 12 hospitals in five states in USA. (They didn’t know)
Method and Design:
- Field experiments taking place in hospitals.
- Participant observation and self report used to gather data.
Independent variable:
- Which hospital they tried to gain entry to.
Dependent variables:
- If the pseudopatients was diagnosed
- If they were hospitalised
- How they were treated by staff and patients while in hospital
2
Q
Procedure - Experiment 1 (5)
A
- Eight sane researchers (Age was 20+, 5 men, 3 women, variety of jobs, assumed pseudonyms and fake jobs if they worked in psychiatry).
- Stated they had symptoms of hearing voices, same sex and unfamiliar. The voices said ‘empty’, ‘hollow’, ‘thud’.
- All other personal information was correct.
- On the ward they didn’t mention their symptoms, and behaved as normal (that is, not insane).
- They obeyed all instructions, and tried to engage staff and patients in conversation.
- They had to get out by proving they were sane. The patients made notes of what happened, first secretly but then in public places
3
Q
Procedure - Experiment 2 (3)
A
- This took place at a hospital where staff had heard about the first experiment but thought they would not make the same error.
- Rosenhan told them some of the patients presenting at clinic for next three months would be ‘pseudopatients’.
- Doctors/nurses had to rate out of 10 the likelihood of a patient being ‘pseudo’ but treat all appropriately. NB: There were no pseudopatients.
4
Q
Results - Experiment 1 Quantitative data
A
Seven pseudopatients were admitted with schizophrenia (11/12 hospitals) and one with manic-depression. Length of stay ranged from 7–52 days, (mean 19 days).
- Nursing staff spent 11.3% of their shift with the patients.
- Doctors were on the ward 6.7 times a shift.
- 2100 tablets were given to pseudopatients
5
Q
Results - Experiment 1 Qualitative Data (3&3)
A
Stickiness of psychodiagnostic labels:
- Normal behaviours seen as abnormal e.g. writing recorded as ‘patient engages in writing behaviour’ and pacing the corridors was seen as anxiety.
- Pseudopatients were discharged with diagnosis of ‘schizophrenia in remission’.
- Type 2 error – calling a healthy person sick
Powerlessness and depersonalisation:
- Restricted movements, hygiene and waste evacuation monitored, no toilet doors.
- Lack of privacy – possessions, medical notes were accessible by all staff.
- Verbal and physical abuse of patients which stopped if witnessed by staff but not patients.
6
Q
Results - Experiment 2 (3)
A
- 41 patients were alleged by one member of staff to be a pseudopatient
- 23 patients alleged by a doctor
- 19 patients alleged by two members of staff.
- Type 1 error – calling a sick person healthy
7
Q
A
8
Q
Rosenhan - Conclusions (3)
A
- The diagnosis of insanity wasn’t accurate.
- Once labelled, behaviour is interpreted accordingly.
- The label of insanity ‘sticks’.
- Staff may believe that medication is the cure so do not engage with the patients.
9
Q
Evaluation - Strengths (5)
A
- External validity (ecological and population) - Field experiment in 12 hospitals, 5 states, underfunded and private, can be generalised.
- Internal reliability - standard procedure, heard same sex, unfamiliar voice saying “empty” etc behaviour categories for responses.
- Internal validity, no demand characteristics staff & patients unaware so natural behaviours.
- Confidentiality kept - names not published.
- Longitudinal study - see how behaviour changes over 7-52 days
10
Q
Evaluation - Weaknesses (4)
A
- Deception and no informed consent - staff & patients unaware, breaks ethical guidelines
- Risk of harm to genuine patients - knew the pseudos were fake and note taking may have been distressing if they were paranoid.
- Internal reliability - personal history for each pp was not changed some differences which could have affected treatment.
- Observer bias - researchers were expecting negative behaviours so only record these eg. the abuse and ignored positive behaviours
