Perceptual Processes Doran Rocks A Brief Overview

Doran Rocks!

A story

The Perceptual Process When we attend to, organize, and interpret the information that we receive through our senses.

Two Types of Cognitive Processing Automatic processing Fast, subconscious Heuristics: we rely rules of thumb for how something is to be viewed based on experience Conscious processing Slow, deliberative approach We examine and think about the stimuli

Step One: Attention and Selection Becoming aware of objects and events from the senses Passive: We simply record stimuli Active: We purposely select, organize, and interpret what we pay attention to. Don’t end a sentence with a preposition! We purposely select, organize, and interpret for what we pay attention.

Step One: Attention and Selection Needs are those things we consciously or unconsciously feel we require to sustain us biologically or psychologically.

Step One: Attention and Selection Interests are those things that prompt our curiosity but are not essential to sustain us biologically or psychologically.

Step One: Attention and Selection Expectations are those things we notice because we have grown accustomed to noticing them. Finished files are the result of years of scientific Study combined with the experience of years

Fooling our Senses: Automatic Processing Brain Games

The Organization Process: We Organize By Simplicity: the brain reduces complex stimuli into recognized forms By Pattern Recognition: the brain organizes information into recognizable patterns or systems of interrelated parts Context: We cannot separate the input we receive from the surrounding messages.

Methods for Organizing Inputs Figure (the focal point of your attention) and Ground (the background)

The Spinning Dancer http://media.photobucket.com/image/optical%20illusions%20spinning%20dancer/namloco77/spinning-dancer.gif

Methods of Organization (cont.) Closure Proximity Similarity

By Perspective

Image Memory: After Image

Magic Video

Interpretation The process of assigning meaning to the information that has been selected and organized 525 34 6578 213 857 4769 3425 7654 4434 9876

Duel Processing in Perception Our social realities are determined by a combination of our automatic and cognitive processing. Just like with automatic processing, we are sometimes wrong in our initial assessments. Primacy Effect Recency Effect Uncertainty Reduction Theory We want to reduce uncertainty to relieve tensions This allows us to evaluate, predict, and control interactions.

Impression Formation: How we form impressions of others Physical Appearance Age Sex Height Skin Color Dress Attractiveness Implicit Personality Theory We assume that certain character traits go with others. Assumed Similarity We assume that because someone shares a similar characteristic as us, they must also share others.

Making Attributions Attributions are the reasons we give for our own and other’s behaviors. We attribute behaviors as internally or externally motivated Has to do with the perception of control Situational Dispositional

Perceptual Processing Errors Stereotyping – associating your beliefs about a group to a person who you identify as a member of that group Race, religious affiliation, sex, age, political party affiliation, etc. Prejudice – not paying attention to how an individual may vary from that of the group. Discrimination – acting differently towards a person based on prejudice Selective Perception – inaccurately paying attention only to what we expect to see or hear and ignoring what we don’t expect Halo effects – thinking a person has a whole set of related personality traits when only one trait has actually been observed

Perceptual Processing Errors Forced consistency – interpreting conflicting different perceptions of another person so our interpretation of what we see remains consistent Projection – thinking that someone who is like us in one respect will share other characteristics and attitudes Fundamental attribution error – ascribing others’ negative behavior to their dispositions while ascribing our negative behavior to the situation 26

Improving Social Perceptions Question the accuracy of perceptions. Seek more information. Use conscious processing. Realize that perceptions change. Use perception checking.