INTERVIEW BEHAVIOR OF AND IMPRESSIONS MADE BY MENTALLY-RETARDED ADULTS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 85  (1) , 53-60
Abstract
Interviews were held with 88 mentally retarded institutionalized human adults to identify types of verbal and nonverbal behavior that are associated with making positive or negative impressions on others and that might be priority targets for communication-training efforts. Video-taped segments of the interviews were shown to panels of 4 graduate students in special education and 6 students in rehabilitation counseling, who recorded ratings of personality and competence for each interviewee. Predictors (10) accounted for 69 and 68% of the variance in overall ratings given by the special education and rehabilitation groups, respectively. Certain types of verbal behavior, which were relatively independent of the nonverbal behavior, were the most potent predictors. Subjects who gave adequate responses to questions and whose speech was understandable were most likely to make favorable impressions.

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