SOCI 385 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Social Distance, Labeling Theory, General Social Survey
Document Summary
One of the best sources of data on public beliefs is the general social. The design of its questions is one of the gss"s most important features. Asked a series of questions about a person described in a short vignette as suffering from the symptoms of various psychiatric disorders. The person was not labeled in the vignettes as having a mental illness. Americans are more likely to regard the symptoms described in these vignettes as indicative of a mental illness. Even when the symptoms did not change, americans increasingly regard those symptoms through the lens of disease. The percentage of americans recommending treatment increased for both schizophrenia and depression, despite the difference in exposure through the media. The vast majority of people who meet the diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder do not seek treatment of any kind. Even people with a serious disorder still do not seek treatment.
