What are the factors influencing perception?
Factors Influencing
Perception
Perception is our sensory
experience of the world around us and involves both the recognition of
environmental stimuli and actions in response to these stimuli. Through the
perceptual process, we gain information about properties and elements of the
environment that are critical to our survival. Perception not only creates our
experience of the world around us; it allows us to act within our environment.
A number of factors operate to
shape and sometimes distort perception. These factors can reside:
i) In the perceiver.
ii) In the object or target
being perceived or
iii) In the context of the
situation in which the perception is made.
1. Characteristics of the
Perceiver: Several characteristics of the perceiver can affect perception.
When an individual looks at a target and attempts to interpret what he or she
stands for, that interpretation is heavily influenced by personal
characteristics of the individual perceiver. The major characteristics of the
perceiver influencing perception are:
a) Attitudes: The
perceiver’s attitudes affect perception. For example, suppose Mr. X is
interviewing candidates for a very important position in his organization – a
position that requires negotiating contracts with suppliers, most of whom are
male. Mr X may feel that women are not capable of holding their own in tough
negotiations. This attitude will doubtless affect his perceptions of the female
candidates he interviews.
b) Moods: Moods can
have a strong influence on the way we perceive someone. We think differently
when we are happy than we do when we are depressed. In addition, we remember
information that is consistent with our mood state better than information that
is inconsistent with our mood state. When in a positive mood, we form more
positive impressions of others. When in a negative mood, we tend to evaluate
others unfavourably.
c) Motives: Unsatisfied
needs or motives stimulate individuals and may exert a strong influence on
their perceptions. For example, in an organizational context, a boss who is
insecure perceives a subordinate’s efforts to do an outstanding job as a threat
to his or her own position. Personal insecurity can be translated into the
perception that others are out to "get my job", regardless of the intention
of the subordinates.
d) Self-Concept:
Another factor that can affect social perception is the perceivers’
self-concept. An individual with a positive self-concept tends to notice
positive attributes in another person. In contrast, a negative self-concept can
lead a perceiver to pick out negative traits in another person. Greater
understanding of self allows us to have more accurate perceptions of others.
e) Interest: The focus
of our attention appears to be influenced by our interests. Because our
individual interests differ considerably, what one person notices in a
situation can differ from what others perceive. For example, the supervisor who
has just been reprimanded by his boss for coming late is more likely to notice
his colleagues coming late tomorrow than he did last week. If you are
preoccupied with a personal problem, you may find it hard to be attentive in
class.
f) Cognitive Structure:
Cognitive structure, an individual’s pattern of thinking, also affects
perception. Some people have a tendency to perceive physical traits, such as
height, weight, and appearance, more readily. Others tend to focus more on
central traits, or personality dispositions. Cognitive complexity allows a
person to perceive multiple characteristics of another person rather than attending
to just a few traits.
g) Expectations:
Finally, expectations can distort your perceptions in that you will see what
you expect to see. The research findings of the study conducted by Sheldon S
Zalkind and Timothy W Costello on some specific characteristics of the
perceiver reveal
· Knowing oneself makes it
easier to see others accurately.
· One’s own characteristics
affect the characteristics one is likely to see in others.
· People who accept themselves
are more likely to be able to see favourable aspects of other people.
· Accuracy in perceiving
others is not a single skill.
These four characteristics
greatly influence how a person perceives others in the environmental situation.
Characteristics
of the Target: Characteristics in the
target that is being observed can affect what is perceived. Physical appearance
plays a big role in our perception of others. Extremely attractive or
unattractive individuals are more likely to be noticed in a group than ordinary
looking individuals. Motion, sound, size and other attributes of a target shape
the way we see it.The perceiver will notice the target’s physical features like
height, weight, estimated age, race and gender. Perceivers tend to notice
physical appearance characteristics that contrast with the norm, that are
intense, or that are new or unusual. Physical attractiveness often colours our
entire impression of another person. Interviewers rate attractive candidates
more favourably and attractive candidates are awarded higher starting salaries.
Verbal communication from
targets also affects our perception of them. We listen to the topics they speak
about, their voice tone, and their accent and make judgements based on this
input. Non-verbal communication conveys a great deal of information about the target.
The perceiver deciphers eye contact, facial expressions, body movements, and
posture all in an attempt to form an impression of the target .As a result of
physical or time proximity, we often put together objects or events that are
unrelated.
For example, employees in a
particular department are seen as a group. If two employees of a department
suddenly resign, we tend to assume their departures were related when in fact,
they might be totally unrelated. People, objects or events that are similar to
each other also tend to be grouped together. The greater the similarity, the
greater the probability we will tend to perceive them as a group.
Characteristics
of the Situation: The situation in which
the interaction between the perceiver and the target takes place, has an
influence on the perceiver’s impression of the target. E.g. meeting a manager
in his or her office affects your impression in a certain way that may contrast
with the impression you would have formed, had you met the manager in a restaurant.
The strength of the situational cues also affects social perception. Some
situations provide strong cues as to appropriate behaviour. In these
situations, we assume that ±ie individual’s behaviour can be accounted for by
the situation, and that it may not reflect the individual’s disposition. This
is the discounting principle in social perception. For example, you may
encounter an automobile salesperson who has a warm and personable manner, asks
you about your work and hobbies, and seems genuinely interested in your taste
in cars. Can you assume that this behaviour reflects the salesperson’s
personality? You probably cannot, because of the influence of the situation.
This person is trying to sell you a car, and in this particular situation, he
probably treats all customers in this manner.