Date of Award
1-1-1985
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Counseling Psychology & Community Services
Abstract
This study was designed as an examination of the effects of varying the order of stimulus presentation on observer ratings of counseling performance. Quality of performance and order of presentation, each with two levels, were the two independent variables manipulated in this study. Two videotaped counseling simulations, determined by judges to represent high and low quality performance, served as the stimuli. Subjects (n = 77) were randomly assigned to the two levels of order: (1) Group 1 viewed the low quality performance stimuli first, followed by the high quality performance stimuli; (2) Group 2 viewed the high quality performance stimuli first, followed by the low quality performance stimuli. The dependent variable consisted of ratings of counseling performance obtained across four widely used measures: Counselor Effectiveness Rating Scale, Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale, Carkhuff's Empathy Scale, Counselor Rating Form. All subjects completed all four dependent measures for each of the two counseling simulations.The results of this study revealed a significant interaction between the two variables, quality of performance and order of presentation. The effects of sequence were statistically significant under the high quality condition, but not under the low quality condition. Ratings of high quality performance viewed following low quality performance were significantly higher than ratings of the same performance viewed first. However, ratings of low quality performance viewed second were not significantly lower than ratings of the same performance viewed first, as expected. Observers were able to accurately discriminate between low and high quality performance under both conditions of order. Thus while raters were able to distinguish qualitative differences between the two performances, the magnitude of ratings of high quality performance was significantly influenced by the sequence of presentation. These results suggest that ratings of counseling performance may be influenced by qualities of a preceding performance that serves as a referent for the judgments made.
Recommended Citation
Newman, Jody Lee, "The Effects Of Order Of Stimulus Presentation On Ratings Of Counseling Performance (Counselor Training, Measurement)." (1985). Theses and Dissertations. 8622.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/8622