Media psychology: An empirical study of radio call-in psychology programs.

Abstract

It is vital to the interests of psychology as a scientific discipline and profession and to its stated goal of promoting human welfare that the public understand what psychologists do and who they are. The current popularity and prevalence of radio call-in psychology programs nationwide prompted this initial attempt to examine the phenomenon empirically. Two interlocked studies were conducted: One was a survey of 368 patrons in shopping malls in the Los Angeles and New York metropolitan areas, and the second was a telephone survey of 122 persons who called one New York program, the latter interviewed immediately before, immediately after, and 3 months postcall. Results for the two groups are reported in terms of (a) knowledge about, experience with, and attitudes toward radio call-in programs as reflective of the public image of psychology and (b) the impact of this phenomenon on the population's understanding of mental health issues.Media psychology has emerged as a new specialty field within professional psychology. During the past 5 years, increasing numbers of psychologists have appeared on television programs as featured experts on the news; others have conducted in-depth interviews; many have served as consultants for films or television shows and have written popular books or newspaper columns; some have even written and produced their own features for film or television. The catalyst for this burgeoning blend of media and psychology has been the radio call-in psychology program, a controversial phenomenon that has been viewed as "boon" or "bane" (Bouhoutsos, 1981), depending on the vantage point of supporter or critic.The genesis of radio call-in psychology programs is frequently chronicled nostalgically by media oral historians who, like the first author, remember the Los Angeles Popenoe Institute of Family Relations radio programs of the JACQUELINE C. BOUHOUTSOS is founder/president of the Association for Media Psychology. A former member of the Code and Rating Administration of the Motion Picture Association of America, she currently is psychological consultant to members of the industry.

‘What are you taking away with you?’ Closing radio counselling encounters by reviewing progress

“…Besides, the conversation is rounded off in a way that delineates its meaningfulness as a help-providing encounter. One of the educational tasks of psychological programmes in media is to create a positive image of psychological and psychotherapeutic professions (Bouhoutsos et al, 1986;McGarrah et al, 2009), and the explicit reference to the benefits of the radio conversations with a psychotherapist may serve this goal by exemplifying the ways in which this particular type of professional may be of help.…”

“…Counselling broadcasts have been shown to provide emotional and social support, both for those participating in the programmes and for radio listeners (Bouhoutsos et al, 1986;Raviv et al, 1991). As a professional practice, media counselling yet raises ethical concerns and debates on potential dangers of publicly providing help with personal issues (see, for example, McGarrah et al, 2009).…”

“…Psychological radio counselling is described as a valuable and easily available source of helpful, or at least educational, advice that contributes to creating a positive image of care professionals to the public (Bouhoutsos et al, 1986;Levy, 1989;McGarrah et al, 2009). Counselling broadcasts have been shown to provide emotional and social support, both for those participating in the programmes and for radio listeners (Bouhoutsos et al, 1986;Raviv et al, 1991).…”

“…The development of this professional field started in the 1950s, and in the 1980s, media psychology acquired a division status in the American Psychological Association (APA) (Bouhoutsos et al, 1986;Henricks and Stiles, 1989). The radio counselling is typically formatted as a broadcast dialogue (often a call-in) between a professional -a psychologist, a psychotherapist, a psychiatrist or a social worker -and a person seeking help with a troublesome life situation or experience.…”

Radio psychology: A comparison of listeners and non‐listeners

“…In the last decade, radio psychology has become an increasingly widespread and popular phenomenon (Schwebel, 1982;Balter, 1983;Bouhoustos, 1983;Bouhoustos, Goodchilds and Huddy, 1986;Levy, 1989;Raviv, Raviv and Yunovitz, 1989). This rapid development has encouraged academic interest in the topic, yielding a growing number of papers and studies concerned with the effects of psychological counselling offered through radio broadcasting.…”