CHAPTER 3

LEARNING, PERCEPTION
AND ATTRIBUTION
Objectives:
• Recall and identify the basic concepts related to:
a. Learning
b. Theories of Learning
c. Perception
• Explain the factors influencing Perception
• Expound what Attribution is
• Identify common errors of Attribution
• Identify and explain factors influencing Attribution
and shortcuts used in forming impressions of others.
 LEARNING

• It is defined as a relatively permanent change

in behavior or knowledge due to practice or
experience.
 DIRECT
INDIRECT
(Observation /
EXPERIENCE (Reading/Watching)
Practice)

LEARNING

OTHER CAUSES
(drugs , injury,
disease, maturation)

CHANGE IN
BEHAVIOR

SOCIALLY
APPROPRIATE MISCONDUCT
BEHAVIOR

LEARNING & BEHAVIOR

 TWO KEY LEARNING
PROCESSES
A. MODELLING & SHAPING
• Modelling occurs through imitating someone.
• Shaping occurs through rewarding small steps.
 THEORIES OF LEARNING
CLASSICAL ORIGINAL
STIMULUS RESPONSE
CONDITIONING
Defined a type of learning
in which a stimulus NEUTRAL
STIMULUS
acquires the capacity to
evoke a response that was
originally evoked by
CONDITIONED
another stimulus. CONDITIONED
STIMULUS
RESPONSE
 THEORIES OF LEARNING
LEARNING
OPERANT
CONDITIONING
is a type of learning where REPEAT AVOID

people learn to repeat

behaviors that bring them
CONDITIONED
pleasurable outcomes and RESPONSE
RESPONSE
to avoid behaviors that
that brings
lead to uncomfortable that brings

outcomes. PLEASURABLE UNCOMFORTABLE

OUTCOMES OUTCOMES
 SOCIAL LEARNING
SOCIAL LEARNING How Social Learning
Achieved
is the process of observing
by observing
the behavior of others, what happens to
recognizing its other people;

consequences, and
altering behavior as a by being told
about something;
result.

through direct
experience;
 TWO KEY LEARNING
PROCESSES
B. COGNITIVE LEARNING
• Assumes that learning is complicated including
motivation and hunches.
• Informal learning: organization does not determine
or design the learning process.
• The learner’s orientation influences the amount of
cognitive learning.
- mastery orientation relates to a dedication increasing one’s
competence on a task.
- performance orientation learners focus on how well they perform on
a task and making comparisons with others.
• Informal learning includes practical,
intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, and
cultural awareness.
• E - learning is a web-based form of computer-
based training.
a) Used widely when learners are
geographically dispersed;
b) Cognitive process of self-motivation and self-
discipline are needed.
 LEARNING STYES
• People learn best in different ways such as
studying versus doing Visual, Auditory, and
Kinesthetic styles.
- Visual learners learn best by seeing;
- Auditory learners learn best by hearing;
- Kinesthetic learners learn best by
touching and moving;
• Most learners combine the three styles to
some degree.
 LEARNING STYLES have also been divided
into Four (4) Orientations based on Four Stages of the
Learning Cycle
CONCRETE OBSERVATIONS FORMATION HYPOTHESIS
EXPERIENCE & REFLECTIONS OF ABSTRACT TO BE TESTED
An orientation An orientation GENERALIZATION An orientation
toward concrete toward reflective An orientation toward testing
experiences that observation that toward abstract implications of
emphasizes being emphasizes conceptualization concepts in new
involved in understanding that emphasizes situations that
experiences meanings. applying logic, emphasizes
dealing with ideas and actively
human concepts. influencing
interactions in a people and
personal way. changing
situations.
PERCEPTION THE PROCESS OF
PERCEPTION
PEOPLE
The PLACES
• It is the process by which ENVIRONMENT
OBJECTS
EVENTS
people select, organize,
interpret, retrieve, and
respond to information from
their environment.
• Perception deals with the INFORMATION
various ways in which people
interpret things in the outside
world and how they act on the PEOPLE
basis of these perceptions.
• Much phenomena is SELECT
interpreted in terms of how ORGANIZE
we perceive it, rather than INTERPRET
what it really is. RETRIEVE
RESPOND
 FACTORS INFLUENCING
PERCEPTION

The Perceiver The Target The Situation

The person who

perceives the
The situational
target is the The person, factors that
perceiver object, or affect
event that is perfection are:
Factors Influencing the perceived by time, work,
perceiver: his past another person setting and
experiences; his needs
or motives; his social setting
personality; and his
values and attitudes
 FACTORS INFLUENCING
PERCEPTION
- Past experiences
PERCEIVER - Needs or motives
- Personality
FACTORS - Values and attitudes

PERCEPTION

- Contrast
- Intensity
TARGET - Figure-ground separation SITUATION - Time
- Size - Work Setting
FACTORS - Motion FACTORS - Social Setting
- Novelty
CONTRIBUTORS TO PERCEPTUAL
DISTORTIONS
EMOTIONALLY
CHARGED STIMULUS

Person Perceptual
As Distortion
Receiver Mental Processes:
- Denial
- Stereotyping
- Halo Effect
- Projection
- Selective Perception
 EXTERNAL FACTORS IN INTERNAL FACTORS IN SELECTIVE
SELECTIVE SCREENING SCREENING

Personality
Size Intensity

Learning
SELECTIVE SELECTIVE
Novelty and SCREENING (Perceptual
Contrast SCREENING
Familiarity Motivation Test)

Repetition Motion
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
STIMULUS
• Perceptual problems are most likely
encountered when the stimulus or cue to be
perceived affects the emotional status of the
perceiver. The perception of a stimulus or
event depends on the emotions, needs,
attitudes and motives of a person.
 MENTAL PROCESSES OF PEOPLE
• The general purpose of this perceptual shortcuts is usually to
make the reality less painful or disturbing. As such, these
mental processes are types of defensive behavior.
 ATTRIBUTION
Attribution Theory is the process by which people
ascribe causes to the behavior they perceive.

• People attribute behavior to external causes when they

perceive high consensus, low consistency, and high
distinctiveness.
• People attribute behavior to internal causes when they
perceive low consensus, high consistency, and low
distinctiveness.
• Blame is natural when harmful events take place, but
can block problem solving.
COMMON ATTRIBUTION
ERRORS

FUNDAMENTAL THE SELF-SERVING

ATTRIBUTION BIAS
ERRORS

The tendency to People tend to attribute their

underestimate the influence
of external factors and
overestimate influence of
internal or personal factors in
the behavior of others.
achievements to their good
inner qualities whereas they
attribute their failures to
adverse factors within the
environment.
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE
ATTRIBUTIONS
DISTINCTIVENESS
The consideration given to how consistent a person’s
(unusual for the
behavior is (how much) across
person)

CONSENSUS Likelihood, that all those facing the same situation will
(did others do it?) have similar responses.

CONSISTENCY
Measure on weather an individual responds the same
(stable
way across time.
performance)
 ATTRIBUTIONS OF
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
 SHORTCUTS IN FORMING IMPRESSIONS
AGAINST OTHERS

SELECTIVE PERCEPTION:
- Happens when a person selectively interprets
what he sees on the basis of his interest,
background, experiences and attitude.
- People use this mechanism when they draw an
unjustified conclusion from a clear situation. (They
perceive what they want.)
 SHORTCUTS IN FORMING IMPRESSIONS
AGAINST OTHERS

HALO EFFECT:
- Occurs when one attribute of a person or
situation is used to develop an overall impression
of the person or situation.
- People may color everything that they know
about a person because of one recognizable
favorable or unfavorable characteristic.
 SHORTCUTS IN FORMING IMPRESSIONS
AGAINST OTHERS

CONTRAST EFFECTS:
- Evaluation of a person’s characteristics that are
affected by comparisons with other people
recently encountered who rank higher or lower
on the same characteristics.
 SHORTCUTS IN FORMING IMPRESSIONS
AGAINST OTHERS

PROJECTION:
- Is attributing one’s own thoughts, feelings or
motives to another.
- It is likely to occur in the interpretation stage of
perception.
- We project out our own faults on to others
instead of making an objective appraisal of the
situation.
 SHORTCUTS IN FORMING IMPRESSIONS
AGAINST OTHERS

STEREOTYPING:
- Refers to judging someone on the basis of one’s
perception of the group to which that person
belongs.
- We lessen discomfort when we encounter a
person who does not fit a stereotype by looking
for a behavior that conforms to stereotype.