ROSENHAN'S STUDY - Investigated how situational factors affected diagnosis of schizophrenia. 8 confederates acted as pseudopatients, went to 12 different hospitals complaining of hearing voices saying “empty”, “hollow” and “thud” - gave false names/occupations/symptoms, but real medical histories. diagnosed 11 patients with schizophrenia, 1 one with manic-depression. in ward, patients behaved normally + wrote observations. patients discharged only when they convinced staff they were sane. average hospital stay- 19 days. Any diagnostic method that makes such errors cannot be reliable/valid.
