Communication In Our Lives, Fifth Edition by Julia T. WoodsCommunication In Our Lives, Fifth Edition by Julia T. Woods

Chapter 2Chapter 2

Perception and Perception and CommunicationCommunicationPerception and Perception and CommunicationCommunication

Perception is an Perception is an activeactive process of process of selectingselecting, , organizingorganizing, and , and interpretinginterpreting people, objects, people, objects, events, situations events, situations and activitiesand activities

Defining PerceptionDefining Perception

SelectionSelection

Selection is influenced bySelection is influenced by external qualities that draw attentionexternal qualities that draw attention the acuity of our sensesthe acuity of our senses change or variationchange or variation our motives, needs, and expectationsour motives, needs, and expectations

Self-fulfilling ProphecySelf-fulfilling Prophecy A person acts in ways consistent A person acts in ways consistent

with how they have learned to with how they have learned to perceive themselvesperceive themselves

OrganizationOrganization

PrototypesPrototypes

Personal ConstructsPersonal Constructs

StereotypesStereotypes

ScriptsScripts

PrototypesPrototypes

Knowledge structures that Knowledge structures that define the best or most define the best or most representative example of some representative example of some categorycategory

Who would you identify as the person who Who would you identify as the person who is the ideal friend? teacher? romantic is the ideal friend? teacher? romantic partner?partner?

Personal ConstructsPersonal Constructs

Mental yardsticks that allow us Mental yardsticks that allow us to position people and to position people and situations along bipolar situations along bipolar dimensions of judgmentdimensions of judgment

For example: intelligent or not, For example: intelligent or not, responsible or not, kind or notresponsible or not, kind or not

StereotypesStereotypes

Predictive generalizations about Predictive generalizations about people and situationspeople and situations

What stereotypes do you have of the men in this What stereotypes do you have of the men in this photograph? Can you identify the basis of your photograph? Can you identify the basis of your stereotype of them? What would change your stereotype of them? What would change your stereotypes of these men?stereotypes of these men?

ScriptsScripts

Guides to action based on what Guides to action based on what we’ve experienced and we’ve experienced and observedobserved

For example: You have a script for For example: You have a script for greeting casual acquaintances (“Hey, how greeting casual acquaintances (“Hey, how ya doing?” “Fine, See ya around.”)ya doing?” “Fine, See ya around.”)

InterpretationInterpretation

The subjective process of The subjective process of explaining perceptions to assign explaining perceptions to assign meaning to themmeaning to them

AttributionsAttributions

Explanations of why things Explanations of why things happen and why people act as happen and why people act as they dothey do

The Self-Serving BiasThe Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to construct The tendency to construct attributions that serve our attributions that serve our personal interestspersonal interests

Influences on PerceptionInfluences on Perception PhysiologyPhysiology

People differ in sensory abilities and People differ in sensory abilities and physiologiesphysiologies

CultureCulture A system of beliefs, values, A system of beliefs, values,

understandings, practices, and ways of understandings, practices, and ways of interpreting experienceinterpreting experience standpoint theorystandpoint theory

Influences on Perception (cont’d)

Influences on Perception (cont’d)

Social RolesSocial Roles Some messages tell us we are Some messages tell us we are

expected to fulfill particular rolesexpected to fulfill particular roles doctor, student, teacher, parentdoctor, student, teacher, parent

Cognitive AbilitiesCognitive Abilities How elaborately we think about How elaborately we think about

situations and peoplesituations and people Cognitive complexityCognitive complexity Person-centered perceptionPerson-centered perception

Ladder of AbstractionLadder of Abstraction

Enhancing CompetenceEnhancing Competence

Recognize that all perceptions Recognize that all perceptions are subjectiveare subjective

Avoid mind readingAvoid mind reading

Check perceptions with othersCheck perceptions with others

Enhancing Competence (cont’d)

Enhancing Competence (cont’d)

Distinguish between facts and Distinguish between facts and inferencesinferences

Monitor the self-serving biasMonitor the self-serving bias

WebsitesWebsites

PBS Global Connections: The PBS Global Connections: The Middle EastMiddle East

Typical misperceptions and stereotypes Westerners Typical misperceptions and stereotypes Westerners hold about Islam and the Middle East, and vice versahold about Islam and the Middle East, and vice versa

U.S. Census Bureau homepageU.S. Census Bureau homepage

Types of LoveTypes of Love Discusses the prototypes we use to make sense of Discusses the prototypes we use to make sense of

the category we call lovethe category we call love

VideoVideo College Success: Two Perspectives