PSYCHOLOGY VERSUS PSYCHIATRY: A STUDY OF PUBLIC IMAGE

ATTEMPTED TO ASCERTAIN, IN A MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA, THE PUBLIC'S ATTITUDE TOWARD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY. DATA WERE OBTAINED BY CONDUCTING TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS WITH 400 RESPONDENTS (200 MALES, 200 FEMALES) WHOSE NAMES WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THE ST. LOUIS TELEPHONE DIRECTORY. BOTH PROFESSIONS WERE CREDITED WITH ANALYZING PEOPLE, HELPING THEM WITH THEIR PROBLEMS, AND STUDYING THE MIND, EMOTIONS, AND PERSONALITY. RESEARCH AND TESTING WERE MORE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND MEDICINE AND/OR THE MEDICAL DEGREE WITH PSYCHIATRISTS. MOST PEOPLE WOULD CONTACT THE FORMER TO DETERMINE THE IQ OF THEIR CHILD OR FOR MARITAL COUNSELING; THE LATTER WOULD BE CONTACTED IF THEY FELT DEPRESSED, WERE BECOMING MENTALLY ILL, WANTED TRANQUILIZERS, OR HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM. AS A DESIRABLE OCCUPATION, PSYCHOLOGY RANKED BEHIND SURGEON, ENGINEER, LAWYER, PSYCHIATRIST, AND DENTIST, RESPECTIVELY. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT AN ATTEMPT BE MADE MORE SYSTEMATICALLY TO CREATE A DESIRABLE PROFESSIONAL IMAGE AND TO IMPLEMENT A CONTINUING RESEARCH PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TELL US WHERE WE STAND AT ANY POINT IN TIME.