Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 21, 2026
05:25
Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise
Published on: March 29, 2019
Attitudes towards a blind counselor and perceived effectiveness
1Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces 88003.
Psychological Reports
|December 1, 1993
Summary
Blind counselors were perceived to offer greater unconditional positive regard in simulated sessions. This study explored attitudes towards disability and counseling effectiveness, finding no impact on perceived disability but enhanced relationship quality.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Counseling Psychology
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Understanding client perceptions of counselors with disabilities is crucial for inclusive practices.
- Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding attitudes towards disabled professionals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate attitudes towards a blind counselor and perceived counseling effectiveness.
- To compare client perceptions of a blind counselor versus a sighted counselor in a simulated setting.
Main Methods:
- Participants viewed a simulated counseling session with either a blind or sighted doctoral student counselor.
- Attitudes towards disability were measured using the Disability Factor Scale/B.
- Perceived counseling effectiveness and relationship quality were assessed using the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found in participants' scores on the Disability Factor Scale/B between groups.
- Participants perceived the blind counselor as demonstrating significantly more unconditional positive regard on one scale of the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory.
Conclusions:
- Counselor blindness did not negatively impact perceived disability or overall relationship quality.
- Blind counselors may be perceived as offering higher levels of unconditional positive regard, potentially enhancing the therapeutic alliance.
Related Concept Videos
02:07Blind Procedures
Ideally, the people who observe and record the children’s behavior are unaware of who was assigned to the experimental or control group, in order to control for experimenter bias. Experimenter bias refers to the possibility that a researcher’s expectations might skew the results of the study. Remember, conducting an experiment requires a lot of planning, and the people involved in the research project have a vested interest in supporting their hypotheses. If the observers knew which child was...
01:31Confirmation Biases
The confirmation bias is the tendency to focus on information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore information that is inconsistent with our expectations. For example, if you think that your professor is not very nice, you notice all of the instances of rude behavior exhibited by the professor while ignoring the countless pleasant interactions he is involved in on a daily basis. Have you ever fallen prey to the confirmation bias, either as the source or target of such bias?
02:16Stereotype Content Model
The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) was first proposed by Susan Fiske and her colleagues (Fiske, Cuddy, Glick & Xu, 2002; see also Fiske, 2012 and Fiske, 2017). The SCM specifies that when someone encounters a new group, they will stereotype them based on two metrics: warmth—or that group’s perceived intent, and how likely they are to provide help or inflict harm—and competence—or their ability to carry out that objective. Depending on the warmth-competence categorization, a person will feel...
02:09Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
When we hold a stereotype about a person, we have expectations that he or she will fulfill that stereotype. A self-fulfilling prophecy is an expectation held by a person that alters his or her behavior in a way that tends to make it true. When we hold stereotypes about a person, we tend to treat the person according to our expectations. This treatment can influence the person to act according to our stereotypic expectations, thus confirming our stereotypic beliefs. Research by Rosenthal and...
01:25Elements Crucial for Effective Psychotherapy
Research has highlighted several critical factors that influence the effectiveness of psychotherapy, such as the therapeutic alliance, the therapist, and the client.
The Therapeutic Alliance
The therapeutic alliance refers to the relationship between the therapist and the client. The alliance strengthens when the therapist and the client engage in a nurturing, supportive, trusting, empathetic, and respectful relationship, improving therapeutic outcomes. Therapists must monitor this relationship...
The Therapeutic Alliance
The therapeutic alliance refers to the relationship between the therapist and the client. The alliance strengthens when the therapist and the client engage in a nurturing, supportive, trusting, empathetic, and respectful relationship, improving therapeutic outcomes. Therapists must monitor this relationship...
01:27Halo Effect
The halo effect is a cognitive bias in which an individual's overall impression influences judgments about their specific traits. This psychological phenomenon leads people to associate positive characteristics with those they perceive as generally good and negative characteristics with those they view as bad. This effect is particularly influential in social perception, professional evaluations, and decision-making processes.The Psychological Basis of the Halo EffectThe halo effect is rooted...