Perception „

Perception: The process of gathering sensory information and assigning meaning to it. it „

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Interpersonal Perception: The process of gathering sensory information about people and assigning meaning to their actions.

Active vs. Passive Perception

Where does perception occur?

-- n o i s e --

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encodes

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Three basic stages „

Selection

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Organization

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Interpretation

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decodes

Selecting amongst all those stimuli „

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Selection is necessary (Selective perception) Selective attention – focusing on specific stimuli (active) Selective exposure – selecting what we are exposed to (active); reinforcement Selective recall – remembering or forgetting

What influences selection? „ „ „ „ „ „

Intensity Repetition Repetition Repetition C t t or Ch Contrast Change Motives/Interest/Needs Limitation of the senses Expectations

Selection: Motives

Selection: Expectations I love P i iin th Paris the the Springtime springtime

Once i a in a lifetime Bird in the the hand

Selection: Expectations

Finished Files are the Result of Years of Scientific Study Combined with the Experience of Many Years

Organization

Imposing the Familiar on the Unfamiliar „ „

Figure/Ground Categorizing/Patterns „

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Punctuation „

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Perceptual schema Proximity

Closure (Good form)

Organization: Figure/Ground

Organization: Categorizing/Patterns

Organization: Categorization Perceptual Schema „ „ „

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Physical constructs: appearance Role constructs: social positions Interaction constructs: social behaviors Psychological constructs: psychological traits Membership constructs: groups to which people belong

Organization: Punctuation Where does it begin? End? What goes together?

1 916 555 1212

19165551212

191- 65.551*2x1x2

Organization: Punctuation (Proximity)

Organization: Closure/Good Form

Organization: Closure/Good Form

Organizing, then Interpreting

Interpretation

K Q

A

J 10

K Q J

The process of explaining what has been selected and organized in a way that makes sense

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Interpretation

Factors Affecting Interpretation „ „ „ „ „ „

Relational satisfaction Personal moods Past experience Assumptions about human behavior Expectations Knowledge

Interpretation: Past Experience

Interpretation: Knowledge?

Mom: “It’s only 5:30 a.m.” Daughter: “You said yesterday was the longest day of the year!”

Son: “So, if today is shorter, we have to get up earlier!”

Hi & Lois by Brian & Greg Walker & Chris Brown

Interpretation: Knowledge? “…Well, currently I’m in between meals, er, I mean, relationships ” relationships.

Praying Mantis First Dates

Putting it all together as we perceive others „

Perception creates impressions (impression formation theory) „

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Can be based upon p the order we receive information (primacy & recency effects)

We generalize based upon perceptions (implicit personality theory) We interpret based upon perceptions „ „

Motives (attribution theory) Comparison with self (standpoint theory)

Impression Formation Theory „

How you develop perceptions about people; how you maintain & use those perceptions to interpret their behavior. „

Primacy Effect - The first impression we receive

about a person is the most decisive in forming our impression

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Recency Effect – The last impression we receive about a person is also decisive in forming our impression

Primacy Effect: Example „

People who know him consider him to be a rather WARM person: intelligent, skillful industrious, determined, practical and cautious. People who know him consider him to be a rather COLD person: intelligent, skillful industrious, determined, practical and cautious.

Implicit Personality Theory „

Your own set of beliefs and hypotheses about what people are like „ Halo effect – attributing a variety of positive qualities to those you like

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Horn Effect - attributing a variety of negative qualities to those you like Construct – A bipolar quality you associate with people as you conceptualize them.

Attribution Theory „

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Attribution Theory – Develop in the most credible explanation for the behavior of others Causal Attribution Theory – What caused the person’s actions? „ „ „

Circumstance Stimuli Person himself/herself

Standpoint Theory „

Who you are influences your perception of others

cause of behavior

Factors Influencing the OVERALL Perceptual Process „ „ „ „

Physiological influences Cultural influences Social roles Self Concept

Influences: Physiological (Age?)

Son: “Dad, bend Son: “Good… Now look Son: “Wow! Look at those down a minute…” up.” icicles!” Dad: “Wow, look at Father: “They’re not as big as those icicles!” the ones we had when I was a Hi & Lois boy.” by Brian & Greg Walker & Chris Brown

Influences: Physiological

“This is nothing. When I was your age, the snow was so deep it came up to my chin.”

Influences: Culture

“I don’t understand it. Why didn’t he marry both of them?”

Perceptions….

…are inaccurate and may differ among people.

Fundamental Perception Errors „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „

Insufficient information Expectations/Stereotyping Overgeneralizing Oversimplifying Imposing consistency Focusing on the negative Filtering via our own characteristics Attribution error Self-serving bias

Improving perception skills „ „

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Avoid rushing to judgments Become aware of others’ perceptions of YOU Increase your awareness Become “other-oriented” Validate your perceptions

Validating Perception Accuracy „

Indirect Perception Checking – seeking additional information through passive perception „

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Multisensory Cross Check – use more than one sense to interpret Consensus – Compare your perceptions with those of other people (Look – Ask – Compare)

Direct Perception Checking – Consult the person you are perceiving

Consensus: How many squares?

Perception Check „

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A description of the behavior you noticed At least two possible interpretations of the behavior A request for clarification about how to interpret the behavior

Organization: Simplicity