Perception

• Perception: The process by which people select, organize, interpret, retrieve, and respond to information.
• Perception: People process information inputs into responses involving feeling and action.
• Perception: The quality or accuracy of person's perceptions has a major impact on response.
• Perception (consciously and unconsciously) involves searching for, obtaining, and processing information in the mind in an attempt to make sense of the world.
• Basic Elements in the Perceptual Process

  • Environmental Stimuli
  • Observation (senses)
  • Perceptual Selection (internal and external factors)
  • Perceptual Organization (perceptual grouping)
  • Interpretation (perceptual errors, attribution)
  • Response (covert, overt)
• Basic Element in Perceptual Process: Observation


  taste, hearing, touch, smell, sight
• Basic Element in Perceptual Process: Perceptual Selection


  external and internal factors
• Basic Element in Perceptual Process: Response


  covert and overt.
• Factors That Influence Perception(External Factors)

  Characteristics of the Target

  • Structural beauty
  • Novelty and Familiarity
  • Motion and Change
  • Repetition
  • Intensity
  • Sounds
  • Size
  • Contrast and Background
  • Proximity
• Factors That Influence Perception (Internal Factors)

  Characteristics of the Perceiver

  • Personality
  • Psychological needs
  • Interests
  • Experience
• Social Identity Theory

  • This theory introduced the concept of social identity as a way to explain the inter-group behavior.
• Social Identity Theory


  This states that people maintain social identity by defining themselves in terms of the groups to which they belong and have an emotional attachment.
• Social Identity Theory


  This theory is all about becoming part of different groups, and how membership to these groups helps construct our identities.
• Social Identity Theory


  They suggested that people have an inbuilt tendency to categorize themselves into one or more in-groups, building a part of their identity on the basis of membership of that group and enforcing boundaries with other.
• The Three Elements

  1. Categorisation
  2. Identification
  3. Comparison
• Categorisation


  This looks at the way in which people put other (and themselves) into categories. We label one another base on interest, ethnicity, gender, occupation and other factors.
• Categorisation


  Calling someone a singer, footballer, student, ladies, for example, are ways in which we do this.
• Identification


  Once a social identity has been identified, people will choose to associate with certain groups.
• Identification


  Your collective identity becomes your in-group. This could be your family, a friendship group - even your class. This closeness functions to boost our self esteem and to create a sense of belonging.
• Identification


  A group or individual that poses as a threat to your in-group is called the out-group. Examples of this would be an outside family member, a new member to class, someone from different ethnic background, or more close to home, somebody from the other side of the social area.
• Comparison


  People compare themselves and their groups with other groups, seeing a favorable bias towards the group in which they belong.
• Comparison


  Nowadays, we see younger people dividing themselves into social groups or subcultures based on clothing, the music they listen to or other interests.
• Perceptual Error

  • Selective Perception
  • Halo Effect
  • Contrast Effects
  • Projection
  • Stereotyping
  • Prejudice
• Selective Perception


  People selectively interpret what they see based on their interests, background, experience, and attitudes.
• Halo Effect


  Drawing a general impression about an individual based on a single characteristic.
• Contrast Effects


  A person's evaluation is affected by comparisons with other individuals recently encountered.
• Projection


  Attributing one's own characteristics to other people.
• Stereotyping


  Judging someone on the basis of your perception of the group to which that person belongs.
• Prejudice

  An unfounded dislike of a person or group based on their belonging to a particular stereotyped group.