Responses to viewing symptomatic behaviors and labeling of prior mental illness

An experiment was conducted to determine whether a psychiatric label or symptomatic behaviors would be more likely to generate prejudicial attitudes towards a person viewed on videotape. Subjects watched three sequences: one anxious, one depressed, and one normal. One of these sequences was described as an ex‐mental patient. The order of presentation, labeling, and actors on the videotape were all counterbalanced. The symptomatic behaviors produced negative ratings on a social distance scale, while labeling did not. Actors showing symptomatic behaviors were also rated as more dangerous, irresponsible, and unpredictable, while the labeled actors were only rated less predictable. Labeling did not interact with symptomatic behavior. There was no evidence that labeling elicited rejection by the observers. Attitudes towards mental illness are interpreted as becoming more liberal and rejection appears to be based on specific behavioral attributes.