This study examined the manner in which non-professional judges (36 male and 36 female freshmen) applied the labels “mentally ill,” “emotionally disturbed,” “insane,” and “has psychological problems” to instances of deviant behavior. College students rated brief descriptions of behavior varying in severity and in type of deviance exhibited. Subjects used the term “mental illness” less than the term “emotionally disturbed” in the case of moderately deviant behavior. The terms “emotionally disturbed” and “has psychological problems” were used more than was the term “mentally ill” to describe severely deviant behavior.
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