Research on the cognitive activity of clinicians during the initial interview has revealed that mental health professionals are often guided by social stereotypes of attractiveness in their choice of patients for intensive individual or group psychotherapy. Specifically, YAVIS patients (young, attractive, verbal, intelligent, successful) are likely to be chosen, although typically these patients have relatively minor problems and tend to recover quickly. The cognitive activities of two groups of college students with differing amounts of training and experience in the field of psychotherapy were compared. Undergraduate (N=15) and graduate (N=15) psychology students viewed a 5-minute, role-play videotape intake interview of a female client suffering from mild depression, and then completed a booklet of rating scales consisting of patient variables, therapist variables, clinician confidence, and differential choices of diagnosis and psychotherapy. Results indicated a significant discriminant function between the experienced and inexperienced groups. The two specific measure ratings with significant differences were "client intelligence" and "clinician's feeling that they could help." No significant relationship occurred between the psychotherapy assignment of a client and the experience of the clinician; inexperienced clinicians chose psychotherapies for their clients similar to those of more experienced clinicians. (NRB)