On Being Sane in Insane Places by D. L. Rosenhan Article Analysis Essay Sample

For some people what we see as typical can be viewed as entirely different according to someone else’s point of view. Particularly in the general public today, where we will more often than not place labels upon others as a means of defining that person. For some when a label is placed upon them they have the idea that the label will be left with them forever and that it will be all they are known for. As once we place a label upon someone it makes it difficult for that individual to overcome that label whether or not the label is a positive or negative thing towards the individual. The symbolic interaction perspective would best apply to this article of “On Being Sane in Insane Places” by D. L. Rosenhan.  

From the article presented by Rosenhan the study was done in a matter of which eight individuals that did not have any mental illness prior would be admitted into a psychiatric hospital. As once they were admitted into a psychiatric hospital their study was to determine whether or not any of the hospital staff working there would be able to distinguish between those that would actually have mental illness or those that did not. As from the study their findings were such that many of the pseudopatients were never detected by the hospital staff from their display of sanity, however instead all of the pseudopatients were diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Resulting into the pseudopatients of having to spend several days within the psychiatric hospital. As from the article it was also mentioned that from the psychiatric hospital hierarchical structure those that were at the top have least to do with the patients, and that their behavior is what inspires the rest of the staff (Rosenhan, 1973).

The Symbolic Interaction perspective is the focus of how one interacts with another and how they perceive those meaning of interactions. As the three core principles regarding the symbolic interaction perspective are meanings arise through social interaction among individuals. People use the meanings they derive from interaction to guide their own behavior and people employ an interpretive process regarding these interactions (Rohall, Milkie and Lucas 2011). In regards to the textbook mentioning about mental health and illness the symbolic interaction perspective, also focuses on how the meanings of mental illness continue to change over time and from across cultures. As it is assumed that the meanings of mental illness are created through the interactions within certain cultures. Such that along with the differences in culture, individuals will perceive and treat this type of interaction differently as well (Rohall et al. 2011). With the symbolic interaction perspective for mental health and illness it shows us how once a label is placed upon someone then it can change how others view us. For those that are given the label of being considered “mentally ill” it will have an affect towards that individual’s life to their institution and along with their community setting (Rohall et al. 2011). For example, like how if there are two individuals that are behaving in the same way, the person with the label placed upon them is more likely to be treated differently and negatively compared to the person who wasn’t placed with a label (Rohall et al. 2011). 

The symbolic interaction perspective best applies to the article as Rohan talks about how the pseudopatients’ behaviors were often misinterpreted by the hospital staffs. For example, when one of the patients would pretend go “berserk” and the nurse that was there would rarely even inquire cursorily of the patient’s behavior (Rosenhan 1973). This example goes to show that the working staff would assume that the patients acting out berserk was because of their mental illness rather than the interactions that they have had with other fellow staff members. While others staff members have assumed that it was a result of the interaction with the patients family and not because of the structure of the hospital in regards to the patient’s behavior. Another example that Rosenhan mentions was how at the psychiatric hospitals there is a hierarchical structure for facilitating the depersonalization. As those that are working at the top tend to have least with the patients and from it their behaviors are what inspires the rest of the staff (Rosenhan 1973). This example goes to show that for the staff members those that are diagnosing the patients spend the least amount of time with them. As this is weird since how when they are diagnosing a patient they should be monitoring them in case of any changes or anything happens to them. Rosenhan mentioned how once you have been labeled there is not much that the pseudopatient can do about it to overcome that label (Rosenhan 1973). This example goes to show that for the pseudopatients’ when they were given that label all of their behaviors and characteristics are seen as abnormal. Such that even when the pseudopatients’ would behave normally they were often overlooked because of how powerful the label was when it was placed upon them. From the article Rosenhan describes how when you are given a psychiatric label it has an influence of its own (Rosenhan 1973). As this example goes to show that when someone is given that psychiatric label whether it be that they have schizophrenia or a bipolar disorder then they have the expectation that the patient will continue to be schizophrenic. Until a certain amount of time has been passed that the patient is then able to be discharged of behaving in that certain manner again. 

The symbolic interaction perspective ideas regarding mental health and illness can be introduced to real life experiences in our current society as from the article and their use of labels. From our current society we often tend to place labels upon others for categorizing that specific individual based on their actions or behaviors, as from it can change how others in society will view and treat you. Such that for example, a regular law abiding citizen could have the status of being a worker or even a friend. However if that law abiding citizen were to then commit a crime then those in society would no longer see that same citizen as a worker or a friend but instead they will be seen as a criminal because of the label that was then given upon them. As this would relate to the third core principle of symbolic interaction perspective of people employ an interpretive process regarding these interactions.

In society, labels are placed upon others as a way of defining the person and their actions as once someone places a label upon you then it is very hard to overcome that label. As the symbolic interaction perspective best applies to this article through the ideas of when given a label, despite your behavior and characteristics that is all you are seen as. Along with how when placed upon a label it will have much more of an affect towards your life and of how others will treat and view you compared to someone else that doesn’t have a label placed upon them. As the meanings of mental illness are created through the interactions from different cultures along with the differences in how individuals will perceive and treat this type of interaction differently.