Chapter 9 Perception and Attribution

Objectives  Define perception and explain the perceptual process  Identify the sources of misinterpretation in cross-cultural interactions  Understand both the benefits and the drawbacks of the perceptual process 9 -1 Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

…Objectives  Recognize common perceptual errors  Describe the Johari window  Explain attribution theory  Understand the relevance of perception and attribution for managers 9 -2 Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Subject: The paomnnehil pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig, huh? Can You Understand This? 9 -3 Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Perception - Defined Perception is the process by which we select, organize, and evaluate the stimuli in our environment to make it meaningful for ourselves 9 -4 Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Selective Attention 9 -5 Perceived Stimuli (Selective attention) Unnoticed Stimuli Salience Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Factors that Affect What We Perceive Internal Motives Values Interests Attitudes Past experiences Expectations 9 -6 External Motion Intensity Size Novelty Salience Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Patterns that Help Us Organize Stimuli  Opposites – “pros and cons”  Cause-and-effect relationships – “If the clients asked lots of questions, that means I’ll make the sale”  Schemas – “my view of what a boss does” 9 -7 Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Schemas - Defined 9 -8 Schemas are mental maps of different concepts, events, or types of stimuli that contain both the attributes of the concept and the relationship among the attributes Once established, they determine what stimuli we attend to and remember Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Social Identity Theory - Defined Based on the belief that people tend:  to perceive themselves and others in terms of social categories rather than as individuals (social categorization)  to assess the relative worth of groups as well as individuals by comparing them (social comparison)  to perceive and respond to the world not as detached observers but in terms of their identity, which depends on the social groups to which they belong (social identification) 9 -9 Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Stereotyping - Defined Stereotyping occurs when we attribute behavior or attitudes to a person on the basis of the group or category to which the person belongs Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

When Is Stereotyping Helpful?  Consciously held  Descriptive  Accurate  The “first best guess” about a group/person  Modified after further experience and observation Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Drawbacks of Perception  Prevents us from taking in everything we should  Makes our interpretations questionable  Promotes stereotypes Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Benefits of Perception The process of perception limits, selects and organizes stimuli that would otherwise overwhelm us Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Perceptual Distortions to Avoid  Stereotyping  The halo effect  Primacy and recency effects  Central tendency  Contrast effects  Projection  Self-fulfilling perceptual defenses Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Johari Window Arena Façade Blindspot Unknown Known to selfUnknown to self Known to others Unknown to others Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Sources of Cross-Cultural Misinterpretation Subconscious cultural blinders Lack of cultural self-awareness Projected similarity Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

D.I.E. Model Teaches people to distinguish among description, interpretation, and evaluation of cultural behavior  Description: observed fact  Interpretation: inferences  Evaluation: judgments/feelings Description is the safest way to avoid errors and misattributions Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Attribution Theory - Defined According to attribution theory, when people observe behavior, they attempt to determine whether it is internally or externally caused People look for information about consensus, consistency, and distinctiveness to decide on causation Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

…Attribution Theory Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Self-Serving Bias - Defined Self-serving bias is the tendency for people to attribute their successes to internal factors while blaming external factors for their failures Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Fundamental Attribution Error - Defined Fundamental attribution error is the tendency to underestimate the influence of external factors and overestimate the influence of internal factors when making judgments about the behavior of others Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner