The recent focus on expectancy as a factor in effectiveness of therapy has tended to overlook the role of expectancy of the treatment agent. Study 1 showed manipulated expectancies of a mental hospital staff predicted favorability of discharge for 10 patients (p < .057). In the second study, a therapeutic analogue, neither “patients'” nor “therapists'” expectancies directly predicted amount of change in 64 students. Congruency of expectancy, however, interacted with “therapists'” warmth or coolness to influence amount of change.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BannisterD.The genesis of schizophrenic thought disorder: Re-test of the serial invalidation hypothesis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 1965, 111, 377.
2.
BieriJ.Cognitive complexity-simplicity and predictive behavior. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1955, 51, 263–268.
3.
BieriJ.BlackerE.The generality of cognitive complexity in the perception of people and ink blots. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1956, 53, 112–117.
4.
BonariusJ. C. J.Research in the personal construct theory of George A. Kelly: Role Construct Repertory Test and basic theory. In MaherB. A. (Ed.), Progress in experimental personality research. New York: Acadamic Press, 1965. Pp. 1–46.
5.
CrockettW. H.Cognitive complexity and impression formation. In MaherB. A. (Ed.), Progress in experimental personality research. New York: Academic Press, 1965. Pp. 47–90.
6.
GardnerR. W.SchoenR. A.Differentiation and abstraction in concept formation. Psychological Monographs, 1962, 76, No. 41 (Whole No. 560).
7.
GarfieldS. L.BerginA. E.Therapeutic conditions and outcome. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1971, 77, 108–114.
8.
HellerK.GoldsteinA. P.Client dependency and therapist expectancy as relationship maintaining variables in psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1961, 25, 371–375.
9.
KellyG. A.The psychology of personal constructs. New York: Norton, 1955.
McReynoldsW. T.BarnesA. R.BrooksS.RehagenN. J.The role of attention-placebo influences in the efficacy of systematic desensitization. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1973, 41, 86–92.
12.
MehrabianA.WilliamsM.Nonverbal concomitants of perceived and intended persuasiveness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1969, 13, 37–58.
13.
MorrisR. J.SuckermanK. R.Therapist warmth as a factor in automated systematic desensitization. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1974, 42, 244–250.
14.
StimsonR. C.A factor analytic approach to several measures of self concept and the structural differentiation of description. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Columbia Univer., 1966.
15.
TruaxC. B.MitchellK. M.Research on certain therapist interpersonal skills in relation to process and outcome. In BerginA. E.GarfieldS. L. (Eds.), Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change: An empirical analysis. New York: Wiley, 1971. Pp. 299–344.
16.
WilkinsW.Expectancy of therapeutic gain: An empirical and conceptual critique. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1973, 40, 69–77.
