Presentation format in analogue studies: effects on participants' evaluation

Whether presentation format (video, audio, written transcript, or written transcript with photograph) affects participants' responses to counseling scenarios in an analogue study was examined. After watching a brief counseling session presented in one of four formats, 131 participants completed three instruments measuring counselor credibility and expectations. Results revealed significant differences among the formats on teh COunselor Rating Form (CRF-S; Corrigan & Schmidt, 1983) Trustworthiness and Expertness Scales, with transcripts with pictures rated the highest (higher than videotape and audiotape) and transcripts without pictures rated second highest (higher than video). No significant differences between the presentation formats were revealed on the Expectations about Counseling Questionnaire (EAC; Tinsley, Workman, & Kass, 1980) or 15 Personal Problem Inventory (15PPI; Cash, Begley, McCown, & Weise, 1975). Results suggest that studies using differing formats with the CRF-S are not necessarily comparable and that the four types of analogue approaches may not be interchangeable.