Alternative Title

Effect of entertainment media depictions of social workers on public opinions about social work as a profession

Publication Date

2016

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Study Type

Quantitative

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Mass media and social service, Social service-Public opinion, Social workers-Public opinion, Social cognitive theory, Social work profession, Media, Entertainment media, Public opinion, Media effects

Abstract

This study explored the effects of entertainment media depictions of social workers on public opinions of social work as a profession. Specifically, this study focused on the power of short clips depicting a social work character to influence participants’ views of social work as positive or negative and the social desirability of social work as a profession. One hundred and nineteen participants viewed a short video clip, which included a positive, negative, or no depiction of a social worker. Participants then completed a survey assessing positive or negative attitudes towards social workers and the desirability of social work as a profession. The video clips were found to have no significant influence on participants’ responses to the survey. Participant responses on the positive/negative subscale were found to be significantly more negative than neutral, and participants aged 18-40 years were found to be significantly less likely to see a social worker if they wanted therapy

Language

English

Comments

v, 47 pages. M.S.W., Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Ma., 2016. Includes bibliographical references (pages 37-40)

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