1. Perception Chapter topics The Perception Process
Influences on Perception
Common Tendencies in Perception
Perception Checking
Empathy, Cognitive Complexity and Communication

2. The Perception Process
Four Steps of the Perception Process
Selection
Organization
Interpretation
Negotiation

3. The Perception Process
Selection
What attracts your attention?
Selecting which impressions we will attend to
Stimuli that are intense often attract our attention
We’re more likely to remember:
Extremely tall or short people
An obnoxious laugh
A person who speaks loudly

4. The Perception Process
Organization
Along with selecting information, we must arrange it in some meaningful way
What do you see?
Which image stands out?
Figure 3.1 Page 84

5. The Perception Process
Organization
Which do you see?

6. What is it?
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7. Changing of persepctive
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8. The Perception Process
Organization
We classify people based on their:
Appearance
Beautiful or Ugly, Young or Old
Social Role
Student, Attorney, Wife
Interaction Style
Friendly, Helpful, Aloof
Membership
Democrat, Immigrant, Christian

9. The Perception Process
Organization
Stereotyping
After the organizational scheme has been chosen, we use that scheme to make generalizations
These generalizations lead to stereotyping
Stereotypes may be based on a small amount of truth but beyond the facts at hand usually have no valid basis

10. The Perception Process
Organization
Stereotyping
Three Characteristics
You often categorize people on the basis of an easily recognized characteristic
You ascribe a set of characteristics to most or all members of a category
You apply the set of characteristics to any member of the group

11. The Perception Process
Organization
Punctuation
This describes the powerful effect cause and effect has on our perceptions. It is often a cyclical response to specific reactions to certain interactions.
Initial impressions of communication influence future communications. Example: One partner feels the communication is one-sided, that their partner is demanding, so they remain silent and the other partner views their silence as indifference.

12. The Perception Process
Interpretation
After we organize information we interpret it in a way that makes sense to us
Interpretation plays a role in nearly every interpersonal act
Consider these scenarios:
Is a friend’s kidding a sign of affection or irritation?
Should you take an invitation to “drop by any time” literally or not?

13. The Perception Process
Interpretation
Several factors influence our interpretation of an event:
Degree of involvement with the other person
Personal experience
Assumptions about human behavior
Attitudes
Expectations
Knowledge
Self-concept

14. The Perception Process
Negotiation
Sense-making occurs between people as they influence one another’s perception
Narratives
Interpersonal acts have more than one narrative
These narratives often differ
Ask two quarreling children what they are fighting about
You will be bombarded with two very different narratives
Shared narratives provide the best chance for smooth communication

15. Influences on Perception
Physiological Influences
Each of us perceives the work in a unique way
The Senses
How we experience our senses changes the way we interact and shape our perception
The vast differences in the sensory data we receive directly influences the perceptual differences we have with others

16. Influences on Perception
Physiological Influences
The Senses
Scents that please some people, repel others
Even temperature is subjective as well

17. Influences on Perception
Physiological Influences
Age
Older people view the world differently because they have a greater scope of experiences
Health and Fatigue
How do you experience the world?
When you are tired?
When you are sick?
Did you feel less sociable?
When you’re hungry?

18. Influences on Perception
Physiological Influences
Other physical states – hunger, pain, etc…
Biological cycles: Our physical response to difference times of day; morning versus night. Hormonal influences – hormonal cycles on our physical and psychological being. The differences in biological gender due to hormones can influence differences in social perspectives between male and female.

19. Influences on Perception
Cultural Differences
Perception is also affected by your culture
Every culture has its own world view
The range of cultural differences is wide
All cultures influence perception, especially communication and the interpretation of interaction especially nonverbal communication such as silence, body language or vocal tone. Also expressions and slang can lead to difference in perception.

20. Influences on Perception
Cultural Differences
Ethnocentrism
The attitude that one’s own culture is superior to others
Geography
Even ones physical location can shape the way they view the world
Consider living in a particular part of the country
What does it mean to live in the Northern US vs. the Southern US?
What does it mean to live in the West Hemisphere vs. Eastern Hemisphere?

21. Influences on Perception
Social Roles
Gender Roles (Sex vs. Gender)
Sex refers to biological characteristics
Gender refers to psychological dimensions of masculine and feminine behavior
Gender roles are socially approved ways that men and women are expected to behave
Androgynous Gender Role
Combines masculine and feminine traits

22. Influence on Perception
Social Roles
Occupational Roles
The kind of work we do influences our view of the world
Occupational choices are influenced by many factors including our perception of how the world functions, other’s behavior and our own perception of how we wish to influence the world around us
“I care about people so that’s why I chose to become a nurse.”

23. Influence on Perception
Social Roles
Relational roles
Roles you play in relation to others
Example: The role of parent
Does being a parent change the way you view the world?
The roles involved in romantic love
Partner, spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, sweetheart
Your romantic roles can also change the way you view others and existing relationships

24. Common Tendencies in Perception
We Judge Ourselves More Charitably
Self-serving Bias
An attempt to convince ourselves that the positive face we show the world is true
Consider this example:
When they botch a job, they weren’t listening well or trying hard enough
When we botch a job, the problem was unclear or perhaps there wasn’t enough time

25. Common Tendencies in Perception
We Cling to First Impressions
Halo Effect
The tendency to form an overall positive impression of a person on the basis of one positive characteristic
Likewise the opposite; a negative characteristic can create the “devil effect.”
We assume that others are similar to us
We are influenced by the obvious

26. Perception Checking The Skill of Perception Checking
Serious problems can arise when we treat our interpretations as matters of fact
We are quick to jump to conclusions of the behavior of others but are pestered by the assumptions of others of our behavior.

27. Perception Checking Elements of Perception Checking
A perception check has three parts:
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

28. Perception Checking Perception Checking Considerations Completeness
A perception check doesn’t always need all parts
Nonverbal Congruency
Nonverbal behavior reflects open-mindedness
Cultural Rules
A straight forward approach may cause problems
Face Saving
Can help raise an uncomfortable topic

29. Empathy, Cognitive Complexity and Communication
The ability to re-create another person’s perspective, to experience the world from the other’s point of view
Sympathy
Viewing another person’s situation from your point of view

30. Empathy, Cognitive Complexity and Communication
The ability to construct a variety of frameworks for viewing an issue
Cognitive complexity:
Increases the chances of satisfying communication in a variety of contexts
Can be enhanced through training
Can help increase one’s empathy

31. Empathy, Cognitive Complexity and Communication
The Pillow Method
A quick tool for clarifying misunderstandings
Figure 3.5 Page 110

32. Empathy, Cognitive Complexity and Communication
The Pillow Method
Position 1: I’m Right, You’re Wrong
Our usual perspective of an issue.
Position 2: You’re Right, I’m Wrong
Switch perspectives with the other person to explain their difference in perception from yours; like a devil’s advocate. This allows for a beginning attempt to apply empathy.
Position 3: Both Right, Both Wrong
Acknowledge the strength and weaknesses of both arguments.

33. Empathy, Cognitive Complexity and Communication
The Pillow Method
Position 4: The Issue Isn’t as Important as it Seems
Some issues are insignificant in the greater perspective of a relationship.
Position 5: There is Truth in All Four Perspectives
Final step which recognizes the significance of all four perspectives.

34. Video