Subjective validation

Subjective validation is a cognitive bias where a person accepts a statement or other information as correct if it has any personal meaning or significance to the person. In other words, a person whose opinion is affected by subjective validation will, for example, perceive two unrelated events, i.e. a coincidence, as dependent, because their personal conviction requires them to be dependent. Subjective validation is directly related to the Barnum Effect and plays an important role in cold reading . It is believed to be the main reason for most of the reports of paranormal phenomena.

See also

• Believe
• Confirmation failure
• cum hoc ergo propter hoc

Individual evidence

1. ↑ subjective validation on skepdic.com
2. ↑ More detailed: Paranormal in the English language Wikipedia
3. ↑ Austin Cline: Flaws in Reasoning and Arguments: Subjective Validation, Seeing Patterns & Connections That Aren't Really There ( Memento of the original dated December 13, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , About.com , September 10, 2007.