PERCEPTION

&
ATTRIBUTION
 NATURE AND CONCEPT OF
PERCEPTION
THE SUB- PROCESSES
1. CONFRONTATION WITH THE SITUATION A PERSON
EXPERIENCES (E.G. ENCOUNTER WITH A PERSON
OR AN EVENT)
2. REGISTRATION OF STIMULUS, I.E. SENSING
VARIOUS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TARGET (E.G.
PHYSICAL TRAITS, DRESS)
3. SELECTION FROM THE DATA THOSE FACTS THAT
WILL BE USED TO FORM IDEA ABOUT THE TARGET
(E.G. FACIAL EXPRESSION)
4. ORGANISATION AND INTERPRETATION OF
SELECTED DATA, I.E. FORMATION OF THE CONCEPT
(E.G. THE PERSON IS FRIENDLY)
 NATURE AND CONCEPT OF
PERCEPTION
• PEOPLE THINK, FEEL, & BEHAVE THE WAY THEY
PERCEIVE
• A PERSON’S UNIQUE INTERPRETATION, NOT EXACT
RECORDING OF THE SITUATION, EVENT OR PERSON,
WHICH MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE REALITY.
• A FILTER WHICH IS UNIQUE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL.
• RECOGNITION OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
PERCEPTUAL WORLD AND THE REAL WORLD IS VITAL TO
THE UNDERSTANDING OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR.
• HELPS TO UNDERSTAND BEHAVIOURS IN
ORGANISATIONS.
 NATURE AND CONCEPT OF
PERCEPTION

 IT IS A PROCESS BY WHICH INDIVIDUALS ORGANIZE AND

INTERPRET THEIR SENSORY IMPRESSIONS IN ORDER TO
GIVE MEANING TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

 KNOWLEDGE OF PERCEPTION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE

PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOR IS BASED ON THEIR PERCEPTION OF
WHAT REALITY IS NOT ON REALITY ITSELF.

 ATTENTION FACTORS INFLUENCING PERCEPTION:

 FACTORS IN PERCEIVER (INTEREST, MOTIVES,
EXPECTATION)
 FACTORS IN SITUATION (TIME, WORK SETTING)
 FACTORS IN TARGET (SOUND, SIZE, NOVELTY, MOTION)
 SOCIAL PERCEPTION
 MAKING JUDGEMENTS ABOUT OTHER
PERSONS, I.E. HOW ONE INDIVIDUAL
PERCEIVES OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

 AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ORGANISATIONAL

CONTEXT BECAUSE PEOPLE IN
ORGANISATIONS CONSTANTLY PERCEIVE ONE
ANOTHER.

 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERCEIVER

 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERCEIVED
 SELF PERCEPTION
SELF-CONCEPT
• A SET OF BELIEFS ABOUT ONESELF, KNOWLEDGE AND
INFORMATION ABOUT ONESELF.

SELF-PERCEPTION
• THE PROCESS BY WHICH PEOPLE DEVELOP A VIEW OF
THEMSELVES.

SELF-ESTEEM
• AN EMOTIONAL DIMENSION OF SELF-PERCEPTION;
POSITIVE & NEGATIVE JUDGEMENTS ABOUT ONESELF.
• LOW SELF-ESTEEM MAY LEAD TO DEMOTIVATION AND
UNSUCCESSFUL OR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR.
 ATTRIBUTION

ATTRIBUTION IS COGNITIVE PROCESS BY

WHICH PEOPLE DRAW CONCLUSIONS
ABOUT THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE
ONE ANOTHER'S BEHAVIOUR.

ATTRIBUTION THEORY
• THE COGNITIVE PROCESS PEOPLE
USE TO EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF
THEIR OWN AND OTHERS
BEHAVIOUR.
• HOW DO THEY INTERPRET
 TYPES OF ATTRIBUTION

DISPOSITIONAL ATTRIBUTION
• ASCRIBES A PERSON’S BEHAVIOUR TO INTERNAL FACTORS
SUCH AS PERSONALITY, TRAITS, MOTIVATION OR ABILITY.
• IN GENERAL, PEOPLE USE THESE ATTRIBUTIONS TO
EXPLAIN THEIR SUCCESSES OR OTHERS’ FAILURES.

SITUATIONAL ATTRIBUTIONS
• ASCRIBES A PERSON’S BEHAVIOUR TO EXTERNAL FACTORS
SUCH AS EQUIPMENT, SOCIAL INFLUENCE FROM OTHERS.
• IN GENERAL, PEOPLE USE THESE ATTRIBUTIONS TO
EXPLAIN THEIR FAILURES OR OTHERS’ SUCCESS.
 TYPES OF ATTRIBUTION

THE LOCUS OF CONTROL ATTRIBUTION

• PERCEPTION OF OUTCOMES OF ONE’S ACTIONS
AS CONTROLLED INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY.

• EMPLOYEES WITH INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL

FEEL THEY PERSONALLY INFLUENCE OUTCOMES
THROUGH THEIR OWN ABILITY AND EFFORTS:
BETTER PERFORMANCE AND SATISFACTION.

• EMPLOYEES WITH EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL

FEEL OUTCOMES ARE BEYOND THEIR CONTROL
AND INFLUENCED BY EXTERNAL FORCES.
 ATTRIBUTION ERRORS OR
BIASES

1. THEORY OF FUNDAMENTAL ATTRIBUTION

ERROR
• TENDENCY TO ATTRIBUTE OTHERS’ BEHAVIOURS TO
PERSONAL FACTORS EVEN IF SITUATIONAL FORCES
CAUSED THEM.

2. THEORY OF SELF-SERVING BIAS

• TENDENCY TO PRESENT ONESELF FAVOURABLY, I.E.
ATTRIBUTION OF ONE’S SUCCESS TO PERSONAL
ABILITY AND EFFORT AND ATTRIBUTION OF FAILURE
TO EXTERNAL FORCES
 SHORTCUTS IN JUDGING
OTHERS
• SELECTIVE PERCEPTION: INTERPRETATION OF THE OBJECT ON
THE BASIS OF INTEREST, BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE.

• HALO EFFECT: DRAWING A GENERAL IMPRESSION OF AN

INDIVIDUAL ON THE BASIS OF SINGLE CHARACTERISTICS

• CONTRAST EFFECT: COMPARING THE IMPRESSION OF ONE WITH

ANOTHER.

• PROJECTION: HAVING IMPRESSION OF ONE’S OWN SELF TO

OTHERS.

• STEREOTYPING: TO JUDGE SOMEONE ON THE BASIS OF ONE’S

PERCEPTION OF THE GROUP TO WHICH THAT PERSON BELONGS.