The Perception Process

1
The Perception Process
Organizing the selected data into patterns for
interpretation and response
Screening the data and selecting what to process
Observing data via the senses
2
Perceptual Selection

• Selectivity (perceiving only part of envir. or
  some parts more than others i.e., Attention
  differences)
• External Factors (i.e., currently in physical
  envir.)
• Novelty, Complexity, Size, Nearness, Motion
• Internal Factors
• Experience, Motivation, Attitudes

3
Closure

• Adding to your Perception to facilitate
  meaningful interpretation.
• Stereotyping
• Halo Effects
• Projection

4
Social Perception Problems

• Selective Perception
• More likely to notice stimuli which are
  consistent with our values and beliefs
• Closure
• Assume that what we dont know is consistent with
  what we do know

5
Attributions

• Perceived causes of behavior
• Major concern whether caused by internal or
  external factors
• (Personality or Environment?)

6
Kelleys Attribution Theory
Basic Premise Attributions are based on our
judgment of the consensus, consistency, and
distinctiveness of the observed behavior.

• Consensus- High consensus indicates an
  individual behaves like his/her peers.
• Consistency -High consistency implies that a
  person performs a certain task the same way
  repeatedly.
• Distinctiveness -Highly distinctive behavior is
  where the current behavior is significantly
  different from typical behavior on other tasks.

7
Internal Attributions are made when

• Consensus is Low
• No one else does it
• Consistency is High
• This person behaved this way before in this same
  situation
• Distinctiveness is Low
• This behavior is similar to this actors
  behaviors in other situations
• (External Attributions made under opposite
  circumstances)

8
Internal Attribution - Example
Customer has complained about John.
John has received similar complaints in a past
job (low distinctiveness).
There are no complaints about other employees
(low consensus).
Complaints about John in this job have been
coming in steadily (high consistency).
Internal Attribution Johns behavior stems
mainly from INTERNAL causes. John is responsible
for his own poor performance.
9
External Attribution - Example
Mary has recently performed poorly on collections.
Mary performs other tasks well (high
distinctiveness).
Other employees are performing poorly on
collections (high consensus).
Previously Mary handled collections well (low
consistency).
External Attribution Marys behavior stems
mainly from EXTERNAL causes. Its not Marys
fault.
10
Common Attributional Errors

• Fundamental Attribution Error
• We perceive others behaviors as more Internally
  caused than they are
• Self-Serving Bias
• We perceive our own
• Success as Internal
• Failure as External