PERCEPTION &

ATTRIBUTION

NATURE AND CONCEPT OF PERCEPTION

THE SUB- PROCESSES 1. CONFRONTATION WITH THE SITUATION A PERSON

EXPERIENCES (E.G. ENCOUNTER WITH A PERSON OR AN EVENT)

2. REGISTRATION OF STIMULUS, I.E. SENSING VARIOUS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TARGET (E.G. PHYSICAL TRAITS, DRESS)

3. SELECTION FROM THE DATA THOSE FACTS THAT WILL BE USED TO FORM IDEA ABOUT THE TARGET (E.G. FACIAL EXPRESSION)

4. ORGANISATION AND INTERPRETATION OF SELECTED DATA, I.E. FORMATION OF THE CONCEPT (E.G. THE PERSON IS FRIENDLY)

5. BEHAVIOUR IN A WAY THAT IS GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE PERCEPTION (E.G. ACTS FRIENDLY TOWARDS THE PERSON)

6. CONSEQUENCES RESULTS (E.G. THE PERSON ALSO BEHAVES FRIENDLY - ACCURATE PERCEPTION)

NATURE AND CONCEPT OF PERCEPTION

• PEOPLE THINK, FEEL, & BEHAVE THE WAY THEY PERCEIVE

• A PERSON’S UNIQUE INTERPRETATION, NOT EXACT RECORDING OF THE SITUATION, EVENT OR PERSON, WHICH MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE REALITY.

• A FILTER WHICH IS UNIQUE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL.• RECOGNITION OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE

PERCEPTUAL WORLD AND THE REAL WORLD IS VITAL TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR.

• HELPS TO UNDERSTAND BEHAVIOURS IN ORGANISATIONS.

NATURE AND CONCEPT OF PERCEPTION

IT IS A PROCESS BY WHICH INDIVIDUALS ORGANIZE AND INTERPRET THEIR SENSORY IMPRESSIONS IN ORDER TO GIVE MEANING TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

KNOWLEDGE OF PERCEPTION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOR IS BASED ON THEIR PERCEPTION OF WHAT REALITY IS NOT ON REALITY ITSELF.

ATTENTION FACTORS INFLUENCING PERCEPTION: FACTORS IN PERCEIVER (INTEREST, MOTIVES,

EXPECTATION) FACTORS IN SITUATION (TIME, WORK SETTING) FACTORS IN TARGET (SOUND, SIZE, NOVELTY,

MOTION)

SOCIAL PERCEPTION MAKING JUDGEMENTS ABOUT OTHER

PERSONS, I.E. HOW ONE INDIVIDUAL PERCEIVES OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT BECAUSE PEOPLE IN ORGANISATIONS CONSTANTLY PERCEIVE ONE ANOTHER.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERCEIVER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERCEIVED

SELF PERCEPTIONSELF-CONCEPT

• A SET OF BELIEFS ABOUT ONESELF, KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION ABOUT ONESELF.

SELF-PERCEPTION• THE PROCESS BY WHICH PEOPLE DEVELOP A VIEW OF

THEMSELVES.

SELF-ESTEEM• AN EMOTIONAL DIMENSION OF SELF-PERCEPTION;

POSITIVE & NEGATIVE JUDGEMENTS ABOUT ONESELF.• LOW SELF-ESTEEM MAY LEAD TO DEMOTIVATION AND

UNSUCCESSFUL OR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR.

ATTRIBUTION

ATTRIBUTION IS COGNITIVE PROCESS BY WHICH PEOPLE DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ONE ANOTHER'S BEHAVIOUR.

ATTRIBUTION THEORY• THE COGNITIVE PROCESS PEOPLE

USE TO EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF THEIR OWN AND OTHERS BEHAVIOUR.

• HOW DO THEY INTERPRET BEHAVIOUR AS BEING CAUSED BY OR ATTRIBUTED TO CERTAIN PARTS OF THE RELEVANT ENVIRONMENT?

TYPES OF ATTRIBUTION

DISPOSITIONAL ATTRIBUTION• ASCRIBES A PERSON’S BEHAVIOUR TO INTERNAL FACTORS

SUCH AS PERSONALITY, TRAITS, MOTIVATION OR ABILITY.• IN GENERAL, PEOPLE USE THESE ATTRIBUTIONS TO

EXPLAIN THEIR SUCCESSES OR OTHERS’ FAILURES.

SITUATIONAL ATTRIBUTIONS• ASCRIBES A PERSON’S BEHAVIOUR TO EXTERNAL FACTORS

SUCH AS EQUIPMENT, SOCIAL INFLUENCE FROM OTHERS.• IN GENERAL, PEOPLE USE THESE ATTRIBUTIONS TO

EXPLAIN THEIR FAILURES OR OTHERS’ SUCCESS.

TYPES OF ATTRIBUTION

THE LOCUS OF CONTROL ATTRIBUTION• PERCEPTION OF OUTCOMES OF ONE’S ACTIONS

AS CONTROLLED INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY.

• EMPLOYEES WITH INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL FEEL THEY PERSONALLY INFLUENCE OUTCOMES THROUGH THEIR OWN ABILITY AND EFFORTS: BETTER PERFORMANCE AND SATISFACTION.

• EMPLOYEES WITH EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL FEEL OUTCOMES ARE BEYOND THEIR CONTROL AND INFLUENCED BY EXTERNAL FORCES.

ATTRIBUTION ERRORS OR BIASES

1. THEORY OF FUNDAMENTAL ATTRIBUTION ERROR• TENDENCY TO ATTRIBUTE OTHERS’ BEHAVIOURS TO

PERSONAL FACTORS EVEN IF SITUATIONAL FORCES CAUSED THEM.

2. THEORY OF SELF-SERVING BIAS• TENDENCY TO PRESENT ONESELF FAVOURABLY, I.E.

ATTRIBUTION OF ONE’S SUCCESS TO PERSONAL ABILITY AND EFFORT AND ATTRIBUTION OF FAILURE TO EXTERNAL FORCES

SHORTCUTS IN JUDGING OTHERS

• SELECTIVE PERCEPTION: INTERPRETATION OF THE OBJECT ON THE BASIS OF INTEREST, BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE.

• HALO EFFECT: DRAWING A GENERAL IMPRESSION OF AN INDIVIDUAL ON THE BASIS OF SINGLE CHARACTERISTICS

• CONTRAST EFFECT: COMPARING THE IMPRESSION OF ONE WITH ANOTHER.

• PROJECTION: HAVING IMPRESSION OF ONE’S OWN SELF TO OTHERS.

• STEREOTYPING: TO JUDGE SOMEONE ON THE BASIS OF ONE’S PERCEPTION OF THE GROUP TO WHICH THAT PERSON BELONGS.