Psychology in the Media: The Good, the Bad,

1
Psychology in the Media The Good, the Bad, the
UglyBerks Area Psychological SocietyMarch 8,
2007

• Henry O Patterson, Ph.D.

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Overview of Session

• Brief history of Psychologists in the media
• Psychologists in the media today
• Issues raised by involvement in media
• Psychologists in the media APA Code of Conduct
• Suggested ethical guidelines
• Benefits costs to Psychologys image
• Video of Dr. Phil session
• Open discussion

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Preface

• Development of interest in topic
• Students appear to be affected by psychology in
  the media media psychologists as role models
• Choice of psychology as major
• Interests within psychology, e.g., forensic
  psychology, psychotherapy, marriage family
  therapy
• Modeling of Pop Psych approaches terminology
  to behavioral issues, e.g. substance abuse
• My writing interview in media

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Preface (cont)

• Media includes
• Print
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Movies
• Radio
• TV
• Internet
• Focus will be on radio TV

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Brief History of Psychologists in the Media

• Surprisingly, little has been written about topic
• Following are findings from research of Dr. Peter
  Behrens, Penn State Lehigh Valley

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Brief History of Psychologists in the Media
(cont)

• 1st psychologists on radio were on New York
  station WEAF
• 15-minute weekly broadcasts at 2 PM Tuesdays
  began September 1927
• Various titles presented
• Child Study Talk
• Concerning Parent
• Parents Talk

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Brief History of Psychologists in the Media
(cont)

• 1st psychologists on radio (cont)
• Various presenters
• Affiliations of presenters not clearmay have
  been connected with Rutgers University Child
  Study Project
• Most presenters were women audience was mostly
  women

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Brief History of Psychologists in the Media
(cont)

• Dr. Joseph Jastrow 1st radio psychology
  celebrity 1930s
• 1st chair of Psychology Department, University of
  Wisconsin
• 1st Ph.D. in experimental from Johns Hopkins 1886
• When retired, began syndicated weekly radio show
  from WEAF (NBC flagship station) in 1934

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Brief History of Psychologists in the Media
(cont)

• Dr. Joseph Jastrow (cont)
• Actively promoted psychology as public service
• Regularly featured on Womans Radio Review in
  1935 and 1936 with topics such as
• Herald of Sanity
• Psychology and Peace
• Zest in Living
• Radio Personality Test

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Brief History of Psychologists in the Media
(cont)

• Psychologys 1st TV celebrity was Dr. Joyce
  Brothers (1.5 million sites)
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Brothers
• Dr. Ruth Westheimer (5.3 million sites)
• http//drruth.com/index.php

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Psychologists in the Media Today (cont)

• Dr. Dan Gottlieb (980,000 sites)
• http//www.drdangottlieb.com/index.htm

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Psychologists in the Media Today (cont)

• Dr. Joy Browne ( 920,000 sites)
• Calls herself "America's favorite Radio
  psychologist
• Licensed clinical psychologist
• Daily Radio show originates at WOR in New York
  City syndicated in over 200 markets including
  Canada Armed Forces Radio
• "Talker's Magazine award for "Best Female Talk
  Show Host" twice author of several well-selling
  books
• Program online live Monday through Friday from
  9-10 A.M.

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Psychologists in the Media Today

• Dr. Phil McGraw (19 million sites)
• http//www.drphil.com/
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_McGraw
• Dr. Jenn Berman (39,500 sites)
• http//www.doctorjenn.com/

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Psychologists in the Media Today (cont)

• Dr. Laura Schlessinger (14.6 million sites)
• http//www.drlaura.com/main/
• http//www.answers.com/topic/laura-schlessinger

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Issues Raised by Involvement in Media

• Whose interest is being served?
• Public?
• Psychology as a profession?
• Commercial sponsors?
• Celebrity self-promotion?
• How valid it the information conveyed?
• Are issues oversimplified?
• Scientific rigor of information advice?

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Issues Raised by Involvement in Media (cont)

• What is the chance of misinterpretation,
  distortion of advice, casualties?
• What is the broader impact on society?
• When do we trust ourselves and when must we rely
  on experts for help?
• What is the role of psychology vs family, ethnic,
  and religious traditions customs?

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Issues Raised by Involvement in Media (cont)

• What is the impact on the science practice of
  psychology as a profession?
• Is our public image increased or diminished?
• Are services of psychologists more likely or less
  likely to be used?
• Will the connection between science practice be
  enhanced or impeded?
• Is psychologys identity more or less distinct?

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Psychologists in the Media APA Code of Conduct

• APA Ethics Code (2002) Sec. 5 Advertising
  Other Public Statements establishes standards
• 5.01 Avoidance of False or Deceptive
  Statements to public including
• Comments for use in media such as print or
  electronic transmission
• Lectures public oral presentations
• Published materials

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Psychologists in the Media APA Code of Conduct
(cont)

• 5.04 Media Presentations
• When psychologists provide public advice or
  commentary via print, Internet, or other
  electronic transmission, they take precautions to
  ensure that statements
• (1) are based on their professional knowledge,
  training, or experience in accord with
  appropriate psychological literature practice
  

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Psychologists in the Media APA Code of Conduct
(cont)

• (2) Are otherwise consistent with this Ethics
  Code and
• (3) do not indicate that a professional
  relationship has been established with the
  recipient.

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Psychologists in the Media APA Code of Conduct
(cont)

• 5.05 Testimonials
• Psychologists do not solicit testimonials from
  current therapy clients/patients or other persons
  who because of their particular circumstances are
  vulnerable to undue influence.

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Psychologists in the Media APA Code of Conduct
(cont)

• 5.06 In-Person Solicitation
• Psychologists do not engage, directly or
  through agents, in uninvited in-person
  solicitation of business from actual or potential
  therapy clients/patients or other persons who
  because of their particular circumstances are
  vulnerable to undue influence.

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Some Suggested Ethical Guidelines

• Public Advice-giving (Keith-Spiegel Koocher,
  1985)
• 1. Refrain from handling topics beyond their
  competence--bring in expert guests.
• 2. Do not offer suggestions requiring radical
  life changes or decisions.
• 3. Screen potential participants, give referrals
  to those who are not suitable for media exposure.
• 4. Callers should be informed of some of the
  risks of exposing their personal problems.

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Some Suggested Ethical Guidelines (cont)

• 5. Resources should be provided for follow-up.
• 6. Media psychologists should maintain a peer
  review board.
• 7. Do not put distressed callers on hold.
• 8. Tapes should not be re-run without the consent
  of the participants.
• 9. Media psychologists should never read
  commercials or news stories and should not air
  inappropriate advertisements.

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Some Suggested Ethical Guidelines (cont)

• 10. Media psychologists should not air
  promotional messages about their private
  practices.
• 11. Frequent disclaimers about misperceptions
  should be made.
• 12. Never belittle or make jokes about
  participants.
• 13. Do not speak for all psychologists.
• 14. Do not criticize the competence of other
  mental health professionals.

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Some Suggested Ethical Guidelines (cont)

• Public Interviews (Keith-Spiegel Koocher, 1985)
• 1. Find out the purpose of the story, if it
  sounds exploitive, consider waiting for another
  opportunity to make your material public.
• 2. Give the reporter a written statement, if
  possible, to reduce the chance of misquotes.
• 3. Invite the reporter to call you back if
  questions arise, or for an editorial review.
• 4. Refuse comment on an area where you have
  insufficient knowledge, and, if possible, make a
  referral to an informed source.

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Some Suggested Ethical Guidelines (cont)

• 5. Call back if you believe you made an error.
• 6. Qualify all salient or dramatic remarks, and
  avoid making offhanded comments.
• 7. Do not speak for the profession as a whole.
• 8. Admit when you do not have an answer, rather
  than formulating an ill-informed one.
• 9. If the topic is controversial, suggest that
  the reporter contact other colleagues as well.

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Some Suggested Ethical Guidelines (cont)

• 10. Offer only possibilities when asked to
  comment on situations on which no solid data
  exists (e.g. a hostage situation).
• 11. Psychological evaluations about newsworthy
  individuals should be avoided, confidentiality
  should be observed at all times.
• 12. If you are dissatisfied about the final
  product, let the reporter know in a constructive
  way.

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Benefits Costs to Psychologys Image

• The benefits -- the good
• Disseminates helpful, accurate information to the
  public about human behavior
• Sometimes helps people deal with their problems
• De-mystifies psychology, counseling, and therapy
• Reduces reluctance to seek treatment
• Encourages students to enter the profession

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Benefits Costs to Psychologys Image

• The costs the bad
• Leaves public with simplistic ideas about human
  behavior
• Models helping strategies that some might try to
  use help others inappropriately
• Increases dependency on experts to solve problems
• Gives impression that psychologys scope is
  limited to mental health practitioners often
  confuses distinction of professions

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Benefits Costs to Psychologys Image

• The costs the ugly
• In some cases leaves the impression that
  psychologists are self-serving hustlers
• Superficiality of radio/TV counseling might
  actually harm some participants
• Expose problems vulnerabilities to the world
• Tarnishes the scientific base professionalism
  of psychology
• Increases psycho babble image of psychology

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Dr. Phil Video

• Session with married couple
• Wife has serious hoarding problem in home (OCD)
• Husband threatens divorce, but would stay
  reverse vasectomy if wife throws out junk

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Discussion

• What has been your experience with clients who
  watch or listen to psychologists on radio and/or
  TV?
• Do they have inappropriate expectations of
  therapy?
• Are they more or less resistant to therapy?
• Do you sense they compare you to Dr. Phil or some
  other celebrity therapist?

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Discussion (cont)

• What is your appraisal of the appropriateness of
  Dr. Phils program? His style of interacting
  with his clients? His observance of ethical
  standards?
• If you were offered an opportunity to have your
  own radio or TV show, would you do it? Why or
  why not?
• What do you think the future holds for
  psychologists in the media?

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Thanks for being a great audience!
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References

• Blumenthal. A. (1991). The intrepid Joseph
  Jastrow. In G. Kimble, C. White, and M.
  Wertheimer (Eds.), Portraits of pioneers in
  psychology (pp. 75-87). Hillsdale NJ Erlbaum.
• Cadwallader, T.C. (1988). Origins and
  accomplishments of Joseph Jastrows 1888-Founded
  chair of comparative psychology at the University
  of Wisconsin. Journal of Comparative Psychology,
  101, 213-236.
• Epstein, R. (2001). Physiologist Laura.
  Psychology Today, 34 (July/August), 5.
• Hilmes, M. (1997). Radio voices American
  broadcasting, 1922-1952. Minneapolis University
  of Minnesota
• Jastrow, J. (1928). Keeping mentally fit. New
  York Greenberg.

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References (cont)

• Keith-Spiegel, P, Koocher, G. (1985). Ethics in
  psychology Professional standards and cases. New
  York Random House.
• Levenson, R. W. (2005, April). Desperately
  seeking Phil. APS Observer. 18(4). Retrieved
  March 5, 2007, from www.psychologicalscience.org/o
  bserver/getArticle.cfm?id1749
• Martin, A. A. II The wedding of psychology and
  the Media Taking a look at the ethical
  imperative. Retrieved March 5, 2007, from
  www.tagnet.org/dvm/psycmedia.html
• Schwartz, L. L. (ed.) Psychology and the media A
  second look. Washinton, DC American
  Psychological Association.
• Zimmerman, J.D. (1983, April).
  Psychologistsmultiple roles in television
  broadcasting. Professional Psychology Research
  and Practice, 14(2), 256-269.