Chapter 2

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Chapter 2 Perception and Learning

• Part 1 Perception
• January 23, 2007

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Perception

• Active processing of info 3 stages
• 1. Selection influenced by internal external
  factors.
• Internal implications?
• External implications?
• What is figural (salient) versus background
  (filler)?

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Perception (stages cont)

• 2. Organization
• Use schemas to make sense and infer relationships
  among targets
• Schemas differ between people
• how can they lead to differential perceptions?

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• 3. Evaluation
• Interpret events in subjective fashion
  influenced by biases
• Can be barrier to cross-cultural communication
• Adlers 3 sources of cultural misinterpretation
• What are each of these?
• Subconscious cultural blinders
• Lack of cultural awareness
• Projected similarity

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Attribution Process - Kelley

• Attribute actions to internal (trait) or external
  (situation) causes
• Consensus defined as
• Consistency defined as
• Distinctiveness defined as

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Attribution

• Why is your friend complaining about her manager?
• Assume high consensus distinctiveness, but low
  consistency which attribution is predominant?
• Assume low consensus distinctiveness, but high
  consistency which attribution?

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Attribution errors

• Self-serving bias
• My success due to internal factors, failure due
  to external factors
• Generalizability to other cultures?
• Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)
• Opposite of self-serving (judging others)
• Underestimate influence of situation (failure due
  to internal, not external, factors)
• Halo effect favorable impression extends
• Performance appraisals and selection applications

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Perceptions of Performance Appraisals

• DeNisi Gonzalez (2004) propose importance of
  ratees perceptions of the appraisal
• How would each of these help?
• 1. importance of clear standards
• 2. simple-to-use rating instruments
• Example of performance diaries or incident logs

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Stereotyping

• Dangers of relying on stereotype of group to
  categorize a person from that group
• Reasons stereotypes can become problematic?
• 1)
• 2)
• 3)

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Johari Window

• One way to minimize biases by making people aware
  of their values, prejudices
• Divides info about you into 4 windows based on
  whether your values/beliefs are known to you
  others
• Open, blind, hidden, unknown areas
• Increase open area through disclosing to others
  others giving you feedback

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Johari Window
Feedback
Disclosure
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Johari Window (cont.)

• Can work w/360 degree feedback program
• Problems
• 1)
• 2)
• 3)

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Dual Attitude System

• Wilson proposed we have implicit (subconscious)
  attitudes explicit (stated) attitudes
• Implicit attitudes parallel unknown or blind
  areas
• Self-reports assess explicit problems?
• See www.understandingprejudice.org/iat/
• How does it measure each type of attitude?