CHAPTER 4: PERCEPTION OBJECTIVES: TO UNDERSTAND THE: Perception Sensation VS. Perception Sub-processes of Perception Perceptual Selectivity Factors Influencing Perceptual Selectivity Perceptual Organization Social Perception Impression Management Linkage between Perception and Individual decision-making @ May be defined as the process by which an individual selects, organizes and interprets stimuli into a meaningful and coherent picture of the environment in which he lives. SENSATION @ Deals with the basic behavior of an individual, caused by his physiological functions. @ By which our senses, like vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell, receive and relay the outside stimuli. PERCEPTION @ The process by which an individual selects, organizes and interprets stimuli into a meaningful and coherent picture of the environment in which he lives. @ It is complicated interaction of selection, organization and interpretation. J More complex and broader than sensation. Though perception largely depends upon the senses for raw data, the cognitive process filter, modify or completely change theses data, EEE ae 1>f women fof remen | ¥ ee eee ee The perception proces of dts ones © External Envirshrrient;:physical environment and socio-cultural environment © Confrontation, registration and interpretation Fesmesaoop Feedback, behavior and consequence The first sub-process is the stimulus or situation that is present. Perception begins when a person is confronted with a situation. This sensual stimulation can be from the physical environment like office, factory flow, research lab, store, climate etc. @ It could also be from the socio-cultural environment like management style, values, discrimination etc. @ In addition to the _ situation-person interaction, there are the internal cognitive processes or registration, interpretation, and feedback. After this follows the result behavior and the ‘consequences of this behavior make the final part. @ Though people are exposed to several stimuli, they tend to select only a few at a given point of time, this is perceptual selectivity. @ One cannot become drawn to all of these stimuli. Only stimuli that catch his interest will draw him in. He chooses to pay attention to certain stimuli while ignoring others. Example: When we read a newspaper, we get attracted towards only some of the news and ignore the remaining news. SUBLIMINAL PERCEPTION @ When the stimuli are so subtle that an individual may not even be conscious that he is exposed to some stimulus. @ The process by which a number of external stimuli have an involuntary, or is, impact on emotions or = @ Bo Example: Messages for subliminal perception can be sent via advertorials, movies, television channels and radios as well as via new media instruments that are probably the most effective ways for affecting today's informative (cognitive) society. These messages, which remain under the conscious perception level and progress at a stage where only senses and mind can perceive, aim to influence the consumers subconsciously.EXTERNAL ATTENTION FACTORS a Intensity - According to the intensity principle of attention, the intensity of an external stimulus determines its probability of being perceived. Example: A loud noise, strong odor or bright light or bright colors will be more readily perceived than soft sound, weak odor or dim light. It is because of this advantage that advertisers employ intensity to draw the consumers’ attention. Size — A larger object is more likely to be noticed than a smaller object. Example: The amount of attention enhances with the size of the newspaper advertisement exposed to the individuals although the increase in attention may not be directly proportional to the increase in size. Contrast — According to the principles of contrast, the stimuli that contradict most with the background or the expectations of people receive maximum attention. Example: Plant safety signs, which have black lettering on a yellow background or white lettering on a red background, are attentions getting. Motion — People gives more attention to moving objects than the stationery objects. Example: A tiger lying in wait is motionless until his prey is nearer him and then jumps at an appropriate moment. Repetition — The greater number of times a stimulus is repeated, the more it is likely to be noticed. Example: Advertisers. while putting T.V. or radio advertisements repeat the brand name they are advertising. Novelty and Familiarity — New objects in a familiar situation or familiar objects in a new situation draw the perceiver’s attention. Example: Job rotation is an example of this principle. Recent research indicates that job rotation not only increased attention but also employees’ acquisition of new skills. INTERNAL SET FACTORS © These factors are related to the characteristics of the perceiver. @ Learning and Perception — Leaming by itself plays a major role in developing the perceptual set. © Learning — A change in behavior resulting from the _ interaction between a person and a stimulus. © Perception - A consumer's awareness and interpretation of reality @ Motivation and Perception — Refers to factors that cause, channel and sustain an individual's behavior. a. The Primary Motives © It refers to the biological and psychological motives. o tt not eamed and it psychological based. © They are inborn and innate. ‘© They are found in all organisms. ‘© It is based on innate, biological and survival-oriented needs. Example: Hunger and Thirst b. The Secondary Motives ‘© It refers to the psychological or social motives. © Is based on learned needs that have been acquired through the learning process. Example: The need for power, the need for affilation and the need for achievement. @ Personality and Perception — Personality of a person influence perception. © Personality — Patterns of thinking, feeling, understanding and behaving. Refers to individual difference in characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and behaving. © Perception — Result of different sense like feeling, hearing, etc. Characteristic in personality and perception are: © Values — Influences perception of a situation, decision making process. © Attitude — Positive or negative attitude like expressing one's thought. FACTORS INFLUENCING PERCEPTION© A number of operate to shape and sometimes distort perception. ‘© These factors can reside in the perceiver in the object or target being perceived or in the context of the situation in which the perception is make. ‘© So, anumber of factors operate to shape and sometimes distort perception of factor can reside: @ THE PERCIEVER — An individual looks at a target and attempts to interpret what he or she sees, that interpretation is heavily influenced by the personal characteristics of the individual perceiver. THE TARGET — Characteristics of the target being observed affect what is perceived. Loud people are more likely to be notice in a group than quiet ones. So, too are extremely attractive or unattractive individuals. THE SITUATION — The context in which we see object or event is also important. The time at which an object or event is seen can influence attention, as can location, light, heat, or any number of situational factors. @ Emphasizes on the subsequent activities that take place in the perceptual Process after a stimulus is received. This is how we perceive and organize all information that is coming from our senses. Example: Ambiguous Figure (Illusion) FORMS OF PERCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION @ Figure - Ground — In perceiving stimuli or phenomena, the tendency is to keep certain phenomena in focus and other phenomena in background. We identify a picture or figure by its background and interpret that object through our vision. @ Perceptual Grouping — An individual tends to group several stimuli together into a recognizable pattern. The human brain has the tendency to perceive objects and to group them together based on several recognizable patterns. Example: Organize the objects from smaller to larger this is what we called pattern. e. Nn a ° 9 ~ S @ @ Continuity © Proxi °re] i} & a a a Similarity Perceptual Constancy — The perception of elements like size, shape, color, brightness and location of an object remains constant and does not change from individual to individual. The ability of an observer to perceive familiar objects as an unchanging even when observed from various angles, distances, or even lighting. Example: Photograph ‘Types of Perceptual Constancy © Size Constancy - The object observed from the distances is perceived to have a constant size. © Shape Constancy - The tendency for a familiar object's shape to be perceived as a constant when observed from various angles, positions, and orientations. © Brightness Constancy — Tendency to see stable or unchanging brightness of object even if amount of illumination striking it changes. Perceptual Context - It provides meaning and value to objects, events, situation and other people in the environment. Perceptual Defense - It refers to the screening of those elements which create conflict and threatening situation in people. The tendency to avoid or screen out certain stimuli that are perceptually disturbing or threatening. People may tend to select information which is supportive of their point of view and choose not to acknowledge contrary information. It is directly concerned with how one individual perceives other individuals; how we get to know others. How we perceive certain societies and can be affected by things such as stereotypes and generalizations. ATTRIBUTION Refers to how people explain the cause of another’s or their own behavior. The determination depends on three factors: ©. Distinctiveness © Consensus © Consistency STEREOTYPING tis the tendency to perceive another person as belonging to a single class or category. HALO EFFECT @ The person is perceived on the basis of one trait or event It is referred to as “self-presentation”. It is the process by which people try to manage or control the perceptions formed by other people about themselves. Through the regulation and control of information in social interactions, people try to sway other people's opinions of a person, thing, or event. IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES USED BY EMPLOYEES @ Demotion - Preventive Strategy - It is used when employees want to minimize their responsibilities for negative outcome. © Account © Apologies © Disassociation Example: Employees apologies to the boss for some negative event. Employees secretly tell their boss that they fought for the right thing, but were overruled. @ Promotion - Enhancing Strategy - It is used when employees want to maximize their responsibility for a positive outcome or improve their image. The use of personal selling, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorship, and sales promotion are ‘examples of promotional tactics. Traditional and online advertising are also used. © Entitlements © Enhancements © Obstacle-disclosure © Association@ Perception has a crucial role in individual decision-making in organizations, _ by affecting both the decision as well as the quality of the decision. @ The decision taken by an individual is a ‘complex process involving the intake of data, screening procession and interpreting and evaluating of data, based on the perceptions of the individual. @ People make decisions and select between two alternative options. The process of making decisions should ideally be objective. However, how people make decisions and the quality of their choices is highly influenced by their perceptions. Example: One manager may view her division's 2 percent decline in quarterly sales a serious problem requiring immediate action on her part. Her counterpart in another division, who also had a 2 percent decline decrease, might consider it quite acceptable. So, awareness that a problem exists and that a decision ‘might or might not be needed is a perceptual issue.