Differential perceptions of counselor behavior: Replication and extension.

Conducted 2 studies with 141 undergraduates in an attempt to replicate and extend the 1976 findings of M. B. LaCrosse and A. Barak (1976). In both studies the Counselor Rating Form was shown to be sensitive to perceived differences among and within counselors of moderate and minimal levels of training/experience. In both studies a significant positive relationship was noted between perceived counselor expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness and willingness to refer oneself to the observed counselor for a variety of counseling problems. The provision of a common baseline for S judgment (Study 2) resulted in expertness ratings more consistent with actual counselor training/experience than those of Study 1. The implications of this latter finding for methodological improvements in counseling analog studies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of client affective self-disclosure and counselor experience on counselor verbal behavior and perceptions.

60 untrained, trained, and professional counselors (average age 20 yrs, 26 yrs, and 38 yrs, respectively) responded to an audio presentation of client affective self-disclosures consisting of either high or low intimacy content. Quality and type of response were measured. Ss then completed a reaction form to assess their clinical impressions of the client. No intimacy effects were found. In contrast, consistent differences for experience occurred. Results indicate that untrained Ss made lower quality responses than either trained or professional Ss with no differences between professionals and counselors-in-training. In terms of response type, untrained Ss relied on direct guidance and silence; trained Ss preferred reflection, and professionals utilized silence, open question, and reflection. When silence as an initial response was removed from consideration, the preferred mode of responding for untrained and trained Ss was strengthened. In contrast, professionals utilized 2 responses (reflection and open question) equally. Finally, the counselor reaction data indicated that untrained Ss had less liking for the client as a person and viewed the client as less motivated to change than trained or professional Ss. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of inconsistency between counselor verbal and nonverbal behavior on perceptions of counselor attributes.

Investigated the effects of inconsistency between a counselor's verbal and nonverbal behaviors on perceptions of the counselor as empathic, genuine, and expert and on willingness to seek the counselor's help. 120 undergraduate women, randomly assigned to 4 groups, viewed 1 of 4 8-min videotaped role plays of a counseling session. Each videotape demonstrated a combination of the counselor's responsive and unresponsive verbal statements and nonverbal behaviors. Ss rated the counselor on empathy, genuineness, expertness, and willingness to seek the counselor's help for themselves and others. Consistent with prior research, results indicate that nonverbal behavior seemed to increase the impact of a congruent verbal message and to alter an accompanying incongruent verbal message in the direction of the nonverbal cues. The significance of results for communication theory is discussed. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparative perceptions of counselor behavior: A replication and extension.

Investigated comparative perceptions of counselor behavior. 40 counseling interviews were rated by 40 16–50 yr old participating clients, 9 counselors (professional staff members), and 5 observers (staff psychologists) along social influence and client-centered dimensions at a Midwestern community mental health center. The Counselor Rating Form (CRF) and Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory ere used to yield measures of these dimensions. Results support the hypothesis that clients would rate their counselors highest on each variable relative to counselor self-ratings and observers' ratings of counselors. Correlational analyses revealed a high degree of relationship among the social influence and client-centered dimensions for client and observer ratings. There was greater agreement between clients and observers than between clients and counselors or counselors and observers on 4 dimensions. Data suggest the existence of a common factor of perceived counselor behavior. The utility of the social influence constructs as measured by the CRF was supported, and this area of study appears to have direct relevance to research in applied professional settings. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The beauty of counseling: Effects of counselor physical attractiveness and self-disclosures on perceptions of counselor behavior.

Investigated influences of the physical attractiveness and self-disclosures of nonprofessional counselors in initial counseling interviews. In a 3–2 factorial design, 144 female undergraduates were exposed to audiotaped interviews in which an attractive, unattractive, or physically unidentified male counselor revealed no self-information or expressed an equal and moderate number of demographic or personal similarity self-disclosures. Consistent with previous research evidence, nondisclosing, unattractive counselors elicited less desirable behavioral attributions (including perceived regard, empathy, and genuineness determined by the Relationship Inventory) and counseling expectations than attractive counselors. Demographic and personal disclosures successfully eliminated these attractiveness effects for attribution variables. Additive effects of attractiveness and disclosure were observed for nearly all the expectancy variables. Experimental and applied implications are discussed with regard to the literature on physical attractiveness and counselor disclosure. (52 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of profane language and physical attractiveness on perceptions of counselor behavior.

Assigned 72 undergraduates to 1 of 8 experimental conditions of videotaped counseling sessions where they rated the counselor on a variety of dependent measures related to their impressions of counselor professional and personal attributes, likelihood of counseling for a variety of presenting problems, and their satisfaction. Multivariate analyses revealed that counselors using profanity were rated less favorably across all measures regardless of physical attractiveness. A significant multivariate interaction indicated that when profanity was present, female counselors were rated more positively than male counselors. Overall, physically attractive counselors, regardless of their sex or use of profanity, were judged to have more favorable attributes. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of nonprofessional counselors' physical attractiveness and sex on perceptions of counselor behavior.

Previous research has suggested that the physical attractiveness of male counselors differentially affects observers' reactions to brief counselor self-introductions. 96 female undergraduates were exposed to audiotaped counseling interviews conducted by nonprofessional counselors of both sexes who were physically anonymous or were identified photographically as physically attractive or unattractive. Dependent measures including the Relationship Inventory were selected on the basis of their relevance to current counseling theory and research and included counselor trait attributions, perceived facilitative conditions, motivations for continuing counseling, and counseling outcome expectations for a variety of presenting problems. Multivariate analysis of the data produced consistent findings which were unmitigated by counselor sex. The counseling behaviors of unattractive counselors were judged to reflect less desirable traits and conditions and engendered weaker commitment and less optimistic expectations than did identical behaviors attributed to physically attractive or anonymous counselors. Conclusions are discussed in terms of counseling conditions which might potentiate or eliminate these initial effects of counselor physical attractiveness. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Male and female counselor and client perceptions of four levels of counselor touch.

60 male and 60 female counselors (aged 20–63 yrs) and 60 male and 60 female clients (aged 19–65 yrs) from the outpatient mental health clinic of a military hospital each evaluated a videotaped vignette of a counselor–client interaction with 1 of 4 counselor touch conditions depicted: no touch, touch of client's hand, touch of client's shoulder, semi-embrace. Dependent measures were a counselor rating form and a personal attribute inventory. Three-way multivariate analyses of variance (treatment?×?S gender?×?S's client vs counselor status) yielded no significant interactions. However, significance was obtained for the main effects of treatment and S's client vs counselor status. Subsequent analyses revealed that the counselor in the semi-embrace condition was perceived as less trustworthy than those in any of the other conditions. Also, clients perceived the videotaped counselor as more expert, attractive, and trustworthy than did counselors. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of counselor disability status on disabled subjects' perceptions of counselor attractiveness and expertness.

Examined the influence of client–counselor group membership similarity, counselor reputational cues, and counselor attending behavior on disabled Ss' perceptions of counselor's attractiveness and expertness. 18–53 yr old physically disabled Ss viewed a series of vignettes portraying a counselor–client interaction. After viewing each vignette, Ss rated counselor expertness and attractiveness on subscales of the Counselor Rating Form. No main effect was found for group membership similarity or expertness on either ratings of attractiveness or expertness. However, a significant main effect was found for Counselor Attending Behavior on ratings of expertness and attractiveness. In addition, a significant 2-way interaction between Counselor Attending Behavior and Counselor Disability Status was found for both ratings. Results do not support the belief that client–counselor group membership similarity favorably influences client perceptions of counselor expertness or attractiveness. (36 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential perception of counselor behavior.

Investigated questions raised by previous research by A. Barak and M. B. LaCrosse (1975) regarding perceptions of counselor behavior. 127 undergraduates in 3 groups viewed a film of interviews given by Ellis, Perls, or Rogers and rated them on 36 bipolar items (Counselor Rating Form). Results indicate that the perceived dimensions of expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness were reliable as measured by the Counselor Rating Form and were moderately intercorrelated. Significant between- and within-counselor differences were found. Results are discussed in terms of perceived counselor behavior, and questions are raised concerning the source of individuals' perceptions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multidimensional perception of counselor behavior.

Investigated S. R. Strong's prediction of the existence of 3 dimensions of perceived counselor behavior: expertness, attractiveness, and trustworthiness. Films of interviews given by C. Rogers, A. Ellis, and F. Perls were watched by 202 Ss, who rated each counselor on 36 bipolar scales. Ratings were then factor-analyzed separately for each counselor. Results support the existence of the hypothesized dimensions for Rogers and Perls but only 2 dimensions for Ellis. Implications of results for counseling and further research are discussed. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of counselor race and counseling approach on Asian Americans' perceptions of counselor credibility and utility.

Conducted 2 studies in which Asian Americans rated a counselor's performance in a simulated counseling session with an Asian American student. Two tape recordings of a contrived counseling session were prepared in which the client responses were identical but the counselor responses differed, 1 depicting a "directive" counseling approach and 1 a "nondirective" approach. Each tape recording was paired with 2 different introductions, 1 in which the counselor was identified as Asian American and 1 in which the counselor was described as Caucasian American. In the 1st study, 52 Asian American university students were randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 introduction–approach combinations. In the 2nd study, 48 Japanese Americans who were members of the Young Buddhist Association were randomly assigned to the 4 introduction–approach combinations. In both studies, the counselor was rated as more credible and approachable when employing the directive counseling approach than when using the nondirective counseling approach. Evidence was found that Asian American university students see Asian American counselors as more credible and approachable than Caucasian American counselors, while the association members viewed them as equally credible and approachable. (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Influence of client characteristics on initial counselor perceptions.

Analyzed the reactions of 30 professionally employed counselors to a role-played, videotaped intake interview with a potential client by a counselor who was not in view. The Ss assessed the probability that they would elect to counsel the person. They also rated both themselves and the client on A. Barak and M. LaCrosse's (1975) Counselor Rating Form (CRF). Results indicate that the trustworthiness dimension seemed to incorporate those characteristics that most influence initial counselor perceptions. It is suggested that the CRF can be used to obtain counselor as well as client perceptions and that the use of relativistic measures of attributes, that is, the use of scores that reflect the differences between one's own attributes and those of the other, may be a valuable methodological addition to research that uses the CRF. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clients' perception of the counselor: The influence of counselor introduction and behavior.

Investigated the relative influence of counselor behavior (as defined by levels of the facilitative core conditions) and of counselor status (as indicated in an introduction) on Ss' perceptions of the counselor. 120 undergraduates viewed a videotaped segment of 1 of 2 staged interviews after receiving an introduction to a high-status or low-status counselor or no introduction at all. Ss then rated their perceptions of the counselor on 3 instruments, which contained 6 scorable factors: Counselor Warmth, Counselor Competence, Counseling Climate, Counselor Comfort, Client Satisfaction, and General Counselor Appeal. Counselor behavior produced a main effect on each of the 6 dependent measures, while counselor introduction produced a main effect on only Counselor Competence and Counselor Comfort. (39 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

State anxiety effects on counselor perceptions of dying stages.

Investigated the moderating effect of high and low anxiety on counselor perception of stages of dying. After completing the A-State scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, 31 college students (most of whom were graduate students) enrolled in a death and dying seminar observed a terminally ill speaker. At the completion of the presentation, Ss rated the presenter on denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and hope. As hypothesized, results indicate that high-anxious Ss, when compared with low-anxious ones, perceived the speaker as more denying, more angry, less accepting, and less hopeful. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Change of counselor attitudes: Complications due to closed-mindedness.

In line with C. G. Kemp's (see record 1963-06922-001) study, the present study examined the possibility that closed-mindedness as measured by the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, Form E, may interfere with attitude-change findings in counselor education. Ss were 16 practicum and 16 control group students enrolled in a master's level counselor education program. Although results are not statistically significant, trends in the data conform closely enough to those of Kemp to raise the possibility that previous findings of counselor attitude change may be subject to reinterpretation once the distorting influence of conformism due to closed-mindedness is taken into consideration. Further research is recommended with larger and more representative samples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Black students' counselor preference and attitudes toward counseling center use.

Surveyed 42 female and 33 male Black college students to determine factors related to Black student use of the university counseling center. Counselor preference, sex of client, sex of counselor, race of counselor, and type of problem were analyzed as to their effects on counseling center use. Results indicate that Black clients preferred Black counselors and that the likelihood of taking a problem to the counseling center increased as counselor preference increased. Also, the likelihood of taking a problem to the center was significantly greater if the counselor to be seen was Black rather than White. Client and counselor sex, and type of problem (personal or educational-vocational) had no effect on potential counseling center usage. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nonverbal behavior and perceived counselor attractiveness and persuasiveness.

Investigated the perception of counselor attractiveness and persuasiveness through the expression of nonverbal behavior. Ss were 20 male and 20 female psychology undergraduates. 2 male and female counselors were trained to portray "affiliative" manner and "unaffiliative" manner. In a repeated measures design, Ss saw 4 different counselors and then rated them on scales measuring perceived attractiveness and persuasiveness. Results indicate that counselors in the affiliative manner condition were perceived as significantly more attractive and persuasive than counselors in the unaffiliative condition. Ss attributed greater attractiveness and persuasiveness to the same nonverbal cues encoded into the roles. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of order of presentation on perceptions of the counselor.

Attempted to determine whether the order in which 2 counselors were presented on videotape would affect ratings of their performances. 70 participants (63 women and 7 men) randomly assigned to 2 groups viewed and rated counseling interviews conducted by C. Rogers and E. L. Shostrom. Groups differed only in the order of presentation of counselors. The resulting 2?×?2 split-plot factorial design had 1 between-Ss factor (order of presentation) and 1 within-S factor (counselor). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) yielded a statistically significant interaction, indicating that the order in which counselors were evaluated significantly affected the magnitude of ratings of their performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)