ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the phenomenon of social judgement with reference to examples from its fieldwork. It introduces relevant theoretical issues and research to illustrate further ideas which arise from the data. The chapter presents evidence that people in hospital are sometimes labelled postively or negatively. It shows how the process is complex in a way not previously appreciated in the literature and illustrates the role of first impressions, in assessing, but will make clear that stereotypes have only a moderate and impermanent effect upon social reputation. The chapter discusses the notion of judging people by illustrating the role of people in general and nurses in particular in constructing the labels which apply to persons in the ward. The alternative, of communicating only 'objectively' they see as morally and therefore educationally superior since they are employed at least partly as role models for student nurses.
