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You will have learned about the classic study by Rosenhan (1973) - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 3 - 2022 - Paper 2
Question 3
You will have learned about the classic study by Rosenhan (1973). (a) Describe the results of Rosenhan (1973). (b) Explain one strength of Rosenhan (1973). (c) Ex... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:You will have learned about the classic study by Rosenhan (1973) - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 3 - 2022 - Paper 2
Step 1
Describe the results of Rosenhan (1973).
Answer
Rosenhan's (1973) study unveiled significant findings regarding the diagnostic process of mental health. He found that out of 12 hospitals, 11 admitted pseudopatients who feigned symptoms of schizophrenia. The average duration of hospital stay for these pseudopatients was notably long, lasting about 19 days, but ranged from a minimum of 7 days to a maximum of 52 days. Furthermore, the behavior of these patients was misinterpreted, as it was often regarded by hospital staff as pathological. In a follow-up experiment, Rosenhan exposed the shortcomings of diagnostic criteria by having 41 legitimate patients falsely identified as pseudopatients by at least one staff member.
Step 2
Explain one strength of Rosenhan (1973).
Answer
A key strength of Rosenhan's study is its use of quantitative and objective data. The research provided numerical insights regarding the length of hospital stays, specifically noting that pseudopatients stayed an average of 19 days. This quantitative aspect allows for comparison in future studies, offering other researchers the opportunity to validate or challenge the reliability of Rosenhan's findings across new versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM).
Step 3
Explain one improvement that could be made to Rosenhan (1973).
Answer
One improvement that could enhance Rosenhan's study is the inclusion of a wider range of hospitals across various geographical regions in America. By expanding the sample to hospitals in both the eastern and western parts of the country, the results would offer a more comprehensive understanding of how different institutions treat mental health patients. This adjustment would help ensure that the findings are more representative of the entire country and its treatment practices.