Abstract
Background
It is difficult for the public to identify differences between psychologists and other types of mental health professionals. Understanding the sources of perceptions is important for the psychology profession in maintaining an accurate public image and in determining appropriate venues for helping the public to distinguish psychologists from other HSPs.
Methods
We surveyed 259 students enrolled in a general psychology class at a selective private comprehensive university in the Midwest in order to determine the sources that inform their perceptions of professional psychologists.
Results
We found that students reported learning about psychologists from a variety of sources. Common knowledge (73%), movies (54%), books (47%), school or education (43%), friends or associates (38%), and television (33%) were identified most frequently. Statistically significant Chi Squares were found.
Conclusions
Identifying sources that inform student perceptions is especially important given the fact that previous research has indicated that the public has certain fundamental negative misperceptions of psychologists. Determining the sources of these perceptions can be useful in attempting to remedy these mistaken notions and in guiding advocacy activities.
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McDonald, D.N., Wantz, R.A. & Firmin, M.W. Sources Informing Undergraduate College Student Perceptions of Psychologists. Psychol Rec 64, 537–542 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-014-0054-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-014-0054-7