Rosenhan’s hypothesis was clearly and precisely operationalised (defined variables) to easily test whether patients behaviour (independent variable, IV) influenced diagnoses (dependent variable, DV). The sample was staff (nurses and doctors) in the hospitals. It allows us to understand unique views of …show more content…
It provided unique insights as behaviour was directly observed in its context. It is appropriate in the real world due to mundane realism therefore, highly ecologically valid. However, this method has difficulty controlling extraneous variables (EV’s), as it is likely that other significant phenomena may have affected objectivity. A confounding variable (e.g., within the hospital) may not have been recognised, thus effected the interpretations of the labels. Also, the participants were not randomly selected or allocated to conditions which may reduce validity, nevertheless, it is the only way to study certain