A prestigious introduction, psychological jargon, and perceived counselor credibility

3 groups of 32 Ss from a community college, county mental health clinic, and drug abuse programs in a federal correctional facility rated a counselor's performance on 2 videotapes which were identical except for the level of professional jargon employed by the counselor. Each videotape was preceded by either a high- or low-prestige introduction. The counselor's knowledge of psychology was rated higher when he employed abstract, psychological jargon than when he used concrete, laymen's language. Ss were more likely to rate the counselor as someone they would see for counseling if they were given the high-prestige introduction than if they received the low-prestige introduction. Interaction effects suggest that not all populations were equally impressed by jargon or by prestige. (25 ref)