| Abstract: | Reactions to patients who complain of pain were explored in an experimental study in which nursing students viewed a videotape of a “hospital patient”. The medical diagnosis and the physical attractiveness of the patient were systematically varied. Results indicated that an ambiguous diagnosis itself led to a negative impression of the patient, rather than leading to the use of nonrnedically relevant information (physical attractiveness) to form an impression. Patients with an ambiguous diagnosis were rated less favorably on trait adjectives, and their pain was seen as less genuine. |
