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Effect of therapist's title on perceived competence
1Department of Psychology, Emporia State University, KS 66801.
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|April 1, 1986
Summary
Men rated therapists higher than women did, regardless of therapist title. Study explored how titles like "Doctor" or "Mr." influence perceptions of therapists in psychology students.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Therapist titles and professional designations can influence client perceptions.
- Understanding these perceptions is crucial for effective therapeutic alliances.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different therapist titles on undergraduate students' ratings of a therapist.
- To examine gender differences in therapist perception based on title.
Main Methods:
- 204 undergraduate students viewed a videotaped therapy session.
- Participants were exposed to one of four conditions: 'Doctor', 'Mr.', 'Timothy', or no title.
- Therapist ratings were collected across 11 variables.
Main Results:
- No significant effect of therapist title on ratings was found.
- No interaction between title condition and gender was observed.
- Male students consistently rated the therapist higher on nine out of 11 variables compared to female students.
Conclusions:
- Therapist titles did not significantly alter student perceptions in this study.
- Gender significantly influenced therapist ratings, with men showing more favorable views.
- Further research is needed to explore the nuances of gender and therapist perception.