+1 Flashcards
Barriers to interpersonal perception
- Stereotyping
- Ignoring information
- Imposing consistency
- Focusing on the negative
- Blaming others by assuming they have control
- Avoiding responsibility
Stereotyping
We allow our pre-existing rigid expectations about others to influence our perceptions
Ignoring information
We don’t focus on important information because we give too much weight to obvious and superficial information
Imposing consistency
We overestimate the consistency and constancy of others’ behaviour and expect them to continue to act how the have in the past
Focusing on the negative
We give more weight to negative information than to positive information.
Blaming others by assuming they have control
We are more likely to believe that others are to blame when things go wrong than to assume that the cause of the problem was beyond their control.
Fundamental attribution error: occurs when we think that a per-son’s behavior is influenced by his or her actions and choices rather than by external causes
Avoiding responsibility
We save face by believing that other people, not ourselves, are the cause of problems; when things go right, it’s because of our own skills and abilities rather than help from others
Self serving bias
The tendency to perceive our own behaviour as more positive than others’ behaviour and to avoid taking responsibility for our own errors and mistakes
Self-serving bias is the tendency to take credit for the good things that happen to you and to say “I didn’t do it” or “It’s not my fault” when bad things happen to you
Impression formation theory
We form general impressions of others based on general physical qualities, behaviours, and disclosed information.
Categorising people as nice, friendly, shy, or handsome.
Predicted outcome theory
We make predictions about the future of a relationship based on early information we learn.
“When I met Derek, I didn’t like his messy appearance. I don’t think he’d taken a shower in days. I decided then and there that I didn’t think he was someone I wanted to hang out with.”
Implicit personality theory
We use a personal set of assumptions to draw specific conclusions about someone’s personality.
“If she is intelligent, then I believe she must be caring, too.”
Attribution theory
We develop reasons to explain the behaviours of others.
“I guess she didn’t return my call because she doesn’t like me.”
“He’s just letting off steam because he had a bad week of exams.”
Casual attribution theory
We ascribe a person’s actions to circumstance, a stimulus, or the person himself or herself
“He didn’t go to class because his alarm didn’t go off.” “He didn’t go to class because he is bored by it.”
Standpoint theory
We interpret the behaviour of others through the lens of our own social position, power, or cultural background
“He won’t join the fraternity because he doesn’t understand how important that network can be to his professional career.”
Intercultural communication theory
Our cultural experiences and backgrounds influence how we view the world.
“I don’t understand why some people from Japan greet me by bowing. We don’t do that in Missouri.”
