Why True Believers Continue to Believe in the Rorschach
Author:
Edwin E. Wagner, Isle of Palms, South Carolina.
Author
Note:
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Edwin E. Wagner, 8 Fishers Alley, Isle of Palms, SC 29451. E-mail: MamaWags41@aol.com.
Abstract:
The coattail effect—the tendency to ascribe validity to an evaluative technique or therapeutic approach as a whole because of the proven efficacy of one or more of its components—was illustrated using the Rorschach as an example. The coattail effect is a major reason proponents of the Rorschach hold the technique in high regard despite the fact that many or most of its indicators are of dubious validity. Paradoxically, practicing professionals can be especially vulnerable to the coattail effect because of their exposure to ongoing validations in journals, books, meetings, and clinical experiences.
