Abstract :
The program was inspired by the 1972
"Rosenhan Experiment," in which the American psychologist David Rosenhan and several
associates feigned auditory hallucinations in
order to have themselves admitted to psychiatric hospitals. Eight of these "pseudopatients"
were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders.
Although they ceased displaying any symptoms once admitted to a hospital, they were
detained for between 17 and 52 days. None
were recognized by hospital staff. The experiment's results, published in Science in 1973,1
raised questions about the validity of psychiatric diagnosis.
Part one introduces the three experts and
ten volunteers and explains that the goal of the
study is to attempt to recognize six forms of
mental illness: depression, social anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive
disorder, bipolar disorder and the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia. The panel of experts has one week of observation to identify
whether or not any of the volunteers has one of
these illnesses. Before beginning, the panelists
discuss the insufficient time for a proper psychiatric diagnosis but appear willing to accept
the challenge and lend their expertise to the
study.
