UNIT 5: Perception

Question 1

Optical Illusions and Subjective Reality

Answer 1

• Subjective Reality ≠ Objective Reality
• People are selective in their perception process (they filter information).
• Behavior is based on perception rather than objective reality.
• Optical illusions illustrate how visual perception can be distorted—similarly, behavioral perception can be biased.

Key Takeaway: Perception is not always accurate. What we perceive influences how we interpret situations and people’s behavior.

Question 2

Definition of Person Perception

Answer 2

The process by which people make sense of, interpret, and judge others and their behavior.

Question 3

Factors Influencing Perception

Answer 3

1. Factors in the Perceiver
   Attitudes
   Motives
   Interests
   Experiences
   Expectations
2. Factors in the Target
   Novelty
   Motion
   Sounds
   Size
   Background
   Proximity
   Similarity
3. Factors in the Situation
   Time
   Work setting
   Social setting
   Cognitive load/distraction

Question 4

Why Is Understanding Person Perception Important?

Answer 4

• People do not see situations in the same way.
• Understanding differences in perception explains differences in employee behavior.
• People’s perception of their work and colleagues influences their workplace interactions and motivation.

Question 5

Attribution Theory (Explaining Behavior)

Answer 5

People try to explain the behavior of others by attributing it to either internal or external causes.

Two Types of Attributions

1. Internal Attribution (Dispositional Causes): Behavior is due to a person’s personality, values, or traits.
2. External Attribution (Situational Causes): Behavior is due to the environment or situation.

Question 6

Attribution Theory: The Three Factors

Answer 6

(LEARN THE IMAGE ON DOC)

Consensus: Do other people behave similarly in the same situation?

Distinctiveness: Does the person behave this way in all situations?

Consistency: Does the person behave this way over time?

Example: Jack did not submit his part of the team project.

Internal Attribution: Jack is not a responsible person.

External Attribution: Jack may have had a problem over the weekend / the deadline was not clear.

Question 7

Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)

Answer 7

• Tendency to underestimate external factors and overestimate internal factors when judging others.
• Example: A project manager is late in delivering a proposal. The boss assumes they are lazy, ignoring external factors like tight deadlines or resource constraints.

Question 8

Self-Serving Bias

Answer 8

• Tendency to attribute success to internal factors but blame failures on external factors.

Example:
Success: “I got a high grade because I am smart.”

Failure: “I got a low grade because the professor is unfair.”

Question 9

Biases in Impression Formation

Answer 9

1. Stereotyping: Judging someone based on the perception of the group they belong to.
2. Halo Effect: Forming a generalized positive overall impression based on one favorable characteristic.
3. Selective Perception: Paying attention only to information that confirms existing beliefs (filtering out information we don’t want to see).
4. Contrast Effects: Evaluating a person based on comparisons with others rather than objective standards.
5. Projection: Attributing our own characteristics or preferences to others.

Question 10

Where Do Biases Occur in Organizations?

Answer 10

1. Hiring Decisions
   - Stereotyping: Assumptions based on age, gender, or background.
   - Halo Effect: Hiring someone based only on a strong first impression.
2. Performance Evaluations
   - Contrast Effects: Judging an employee’s performance based on the performance of others rather than objective criteria.
   - Selective Perception: Seeing only the mistakes of some employees and not others.
3. Leadership Decisions
   - Projection: Assuming that an employee will be motivated by the same things as the manager.
   - Self-fulfilling Prophecies (Pygmalion Effect): Expectations about an employee influence their performance.