1. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2. Chapter 4 Communicating, Perceiving, And Understanding This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

3. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  The importance of perception  What is perception?  Perception and the individual  The individual, perception, and society  Ethics and perception  Improving your perception skills Overview of Themes

4. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Importance of Perception

5. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Perceptions determine understanding and action  Identities influence perception ◦ Perception influences identities The Importance of Perception

6. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. What Is Perception?

7. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  We consciously or unconsciously pay attention to certain stimuli  Selective attention ◦ Aspects of our own identity ◦ Features of another person or object ◦ Our goals  We also notice stimuli that ◦ Are negative ◦ Violate expectations ◦ Occur in important situations Selection

8. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Organization = recognize and order observed stimuli  Ex: Tapping on your window at night – what is it? Organization

9. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Cognitive representation = human ability to form mental models of the world  Schemas ◦ Prototype – idealized schema ◦ Script – sequence of events expected to occur  Ex: Introductions Cognitive Representation

10. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Process of group information or objects with linguistic symbols ◦ Labeling – naming a category ◦ Stereotyping – over-generalize Categorization

11. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Assigning meaning to stimuli ◦ Frames  Influenced by experience, mood, personality  Ex: Perceiving world as dangerous place  perceiving tapping on window as burglar Interpretation

12. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Attribution theory ◦ Explains cognitive and verbal processes we use to judge others’ behavior ◦ Internal v. external causes ◦ Attributional bias  Self-serving bias: positive is internal; negative is external ◦ Fundamental attribution error  Ex: Driver who cuts you off is a jerk. Attribution

13. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Perception and the Individual

14. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Influenced by: ◦ Physical factors ◦ Cognitive complexity  More constructs for things that interest us  Constructs develop with age, intellect, experiences  Higher complexity = diverse explanations/perceptions ◦ Personality  Emotional state  Outlook  Knowledge Perception and the Individual

15. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Individual, Perception, and Society

16. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Position in society affects perception  Relative power (or lack thereof) influences: ◦ How others perceive you ◦ How you perceive others and the world The Role of Power

17. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Sensory models ◦ All cultures emphasize one of the 5 senses  Cultural norms, values, expectations form a backdrop of familiarity, which affects perception The Role of Culture

18. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Social comparison leads to expectations about how others should or should not behave. The Role of Social Comparison

19. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  The pattern of viewing all other groups against the standards of the group(s) with which you identify Ethnocentrism

20. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Categorizing others and making assumptions based on broad generalizations  Help us define what we expect from certain groups Stereotypes

21. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Stereotypes often lead to prejudice, or negative feelings about a group (or individual in that group)  Ego-defensive function – protects sense of self-worth  Value-expressive function – protects sense of worth in values, norms, culture Prejudice

22. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Time period in which one grows up affects perception of events and others  Cohort effect – generations who experience similar sets of events may share perceptions The Role of Historical Time Period

23. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Position in society affects perception and communication  Others’ expectations for you are tied to education, training, and socialization Social Roles

24. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ethics and Perception

25. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  The ways you communicate with and about others finds root in your perceptions.  Irresponsible/unethical categorization may lead to avoidant, inappropriate, or offensive communication.  The use of derogatory terms may reinforce negative responses to groups Ethics and Perception

26. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Improving Your Perception Skills

27. Copyright © 2013, 2010, 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Perceptions are subject to error because of complex steps of formation  Improve by: ◦ Being mindful ◦ Not assuming your perceptions are accurate ◦ Reflecting on your social role, cultural background, physical condition, etc. ◦ Separating facts from inferences ◦ Checking your perceptions