Editing Barnum effect (section)

==Overview==
The Barnum effect is manifested in response to statements that are called "Barnum statements", meaning that general characterizations attributed to an individual are perceived to be true for them, even though the statements are such generalizations that they could apply to almost anyone. Such techniques are used by [[fortune teller]]s, [[astrologer]]s, and other practitioners to convince customers that they, the practitioners, are in fact endowed with a [[paranormal]] gift.<ref name="The Skeptic's Dictionary">{{cite web |last1=Carroll |first1=Robert |title=Barnum effect |url=http://skepdic.com/barnum.html |website=The Skeptic's Dictionary |access-date=February 26, 2017}}</ref> The effect is a specific example of the "acceptance phenomenon", which describes the general tendency of humans "to accept almost any bogus personality feedback".<ref name="Journal of Personality Assessment">{{cite journal |last1=Tobacyk |first1=Jerome |last2=Milford |first2=Gary |last3=Springer |first3=Thomas |last4=Tobacyk |first4=Zofia |title=Paranormal Beliefs and the Barnum Effect |journal=[[Journal of Personality Assessment]] |volume=52 |issue=4 |date=June 10, 2010 |pages=737–739 |doi=10.1207/s15327752jpa5204_13}}</ref> A related and more general phenomenon is that of [[subjective validation]].<ref name="Marks">{{cite book |last=Marks |first=David F. |author-link=David Marks (psychologist) |title=The Psychology of the Psychic |publisher=[[Prometheus Books]] |location=Amherst, New York |year=2000 |edition=2 |page=41 |isbn=978-1-57392-798-7 |title-link=The Psychology of the Psychic}}</ref>