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Subjective validation, sometimes called personal validation effect, is a cognitive bias by which a person will consider a statement or another piece of information to be correct if it has any personal meaning or significance to them.^[1] In other words, a person whose opinion is affected by subjective validation will perceive two unrelated events (ie, coincidences) to be related because their personal belief demands them to be related. Closely related to the Forer effect, subjective validation is an important element in cold reading. It is considered to be the main reason behind most reports of paranormal phenomena..^[2]

References Edit

See also Edit

• Forer effect
• Belief
• True-believer syndrome
• Self-deception
• Self propaganda
• Confirmation bias
• David Marks (psychologist)
• Meaningfulness
• List of cognitive biases

External links Edit

• The Skeptic's Dictionary entry on subjective validation