SYNOPSIS
Selected respondents from metropolitan Melbourne (N = 318) were required to make ratings on fifteen semantic differential scales for each of ten concepts which opposed physical medicine with psychiatric medicine, not only at the level of individual patient disability but also in terms of the facilities provided for their treatment and the medical personnel directly involved in the treatment process. Cluster scores on the factors evaluation, understandability and potency consistently favoured concepts relating to physical medicine. This relationship was maintained, independent of various respondent characteristics.