What was the main conclusion of the study conducted by Rosenhan on labeling and mental illness, in which he recruited eight sane citizens to act as "pseudopatients" and simulate symptoms of psychosis?
A) Residual rule breaking is often harmless.
B) Everyone has a diagnosable mental illness.
C) The truly insane cannot be cured.
D) It can be difficult to distinguish insanity from sanity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rosenhan's study concluded that it can be difficult to distinguish between sanity and insanity within the context of a psychiatric hospital. The pseudopatients were all admitted with diagnoses of psychiatric disorders, despite only simulating symptoms at admission and acting normally afterwards. This highlighted the challenges and potential flaws in psychiatric diagnosis and the impact of labeling individuals as mentally ill.

What Was the Main Conclusion of the Study Conducted by Rosenhan