Helping-Relationship Response Tendencies and Occupational Affiliation

An adaptation of Porter's Counseling Procedures Pre-test was administered to members of various occupational groups to explore the question, Do counselors as a group exhibit the same helping-relationship response tendencies as members of other occupational groups? Data were gathered on 370 persons in several occupations—guidance institute enrollees, counseling practicum enrollees, on-the-job school counselors in two states, ministers, nursing instructors, firemen, housewives, secretaries, undergraduate students, and lawyers. Many differences were found. Counselors were characterized by a preference for understanding responses and a tendency to reject the evaluative response mode; members of other groups showed the reverse preference.