1. Perceiving and Communicating with Others3
Perceiving and Communicating with Others

2. Perceiving and Communicating with Others
Communications in a Changing World
Factors that Influence Perception
Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Communicating Responsibly: Perception Guidelines

3. Communications in a Changing World
Our perceptions, the process of assigning meaning to sensory information and experiences, of others guide the way we talk to and about them
The power that perceptions have in guiding communication makes them particularly important to understand and manage

4. Factors that Influence Perception
Physical Factors
Physical characteristics such as age, height, and ability influence our attitudes and behaviors, and they play a role in how we perceive others and communicate with them
Physical needs also influence our perceptions
There are physical limits to the amount and type of information we perceive

5. Factors that Influence Perception
Personality
Our personality affects how we perceive others
Culture
We process perceptions through the filters of the cultures to which we belong

6. Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Figure 3-1. Steps in the Process of Perception

7. Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Selecting
Selection occurs when we focus on some sensory stimuli rather than others

8. Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Figure 3-3. What do you see in this image?

9. Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Organizing Perceptions
Organization occurs when we place stimuli in a category or mental box to give them meaning and aid our retention
Understanding the process of organizing perception can unpack hidden assumptions and expectations about our interactions with others

10. Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Figure 3-4A. What do you see in the inkblot?

11. Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Figure 3-4B. What categories can you use to make sense of this image?

12. Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Organizing Perceptions
Stereotypes are generalizations about people based on their group affiliation, rather than their individual characteristics
Scripts are guides to actions and expectations based on the way we have categorized our perceptions

13. Steps in the Process of Forming Perceptions
Interpreting Perceptions
Interpretation is the stage in the perception process in which we determine the meaning of an event or interaction
Context can often help us to interpret the meaning of someone’s statements or actions
Closure allows us to draw conclusions based on unfinished, incomplete, or limited information

14. Communicating Responsibly: Perception Guidelines
Own Your Perceptions
Recognize why your perceptions might be different than those of the person you are talking to
Realize that others might not share your perceptions

15. Communicating Responsibly: Perception Guidelines
User Perception Checks
A perception check is a tool that gauges the accuracy of your perceptions by engaging in conversations with others
Describe the behavior you’ve observed
Acknowledge that there is more than one way to interpret the behavior
Ask for clarification

16. Summary
Our perceptions form the basis of interpretation about ourselves and others, and we communicate based on those interpretations
Perception is also affected by the cultural context of interaction

17. Summary
Perceptions are the basis for decisions about how to communicate appropriately and effectively, because how we perceive people or events will influence our responses to them