UNIT 3

PERCEPTION & ATTRIBUTION

Resource Person
Dr. Sanjay Kumar Shrestha
Professor, Central Department of
Management , T.U., Nepal
 UNIT 3
PERCEPTION AND ATTRIBUTION
 
3.1 PERCEPTION: CONCPET 
“The perception process can be defined as a
complicated interaction of selection, organization
& interpretation of stimulation from environment.”
–Fred Luthans (2005)
•perception = or = reality
•cognitive component of human behavior
3.2 NATURE OF PERCEPTION
i.perception = or = reality
ii.cognitive component
iii.subjective: individually different
iv.based on expectation
v.can be developed
vi.is the cause of behavior
3.3 IMPORTANCE OF PERCEPTION
i.behavior is based on their perception
ii.understand their behavior
iii.predict their behavior
iv.manage their behavior
v.minimize conflict
vi.impression management
3.4 SENSATION VS. PERCEPTION
-Sensation: through 5 sensory organs
-Precedence vs. following
-Physical vs. psychological

3.5 SUB PROCESSES OF PERCEPTUAL

3.5 SUB PROCESSES OF PERCEPTUAL
Perception process
a)Attention & Selection
b)Organization
c)Interpretation
d)Outcome/response

3.6 PERCEPTUAL SELECTIVITY

3.7 PERCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION
Gestalt Laws of Perceptual Organization
1.Law of similarity
2. law of good form or the law of simplicity
3. Law of Proximity
4. Law of Closure
5. Law of Continuity
3.8 ATTENTION FACTORS IN SELECTIVITY

A) CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERCEIVER

1) Attitude 2) Motives 3) Interests 4) Experience
5) Expectations 6) Emotions

B) CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERCEIVED

1) Novelty 2) Motion/movement 3) Size
4) Intensity 5) Contrast/background 6) Repetition

c) Factors in the situation

1) Time 2) Work-setting 3) Social setting/context
Application of perception in organizations
(A) SOCIAL PERCEPTION
(b) Individual decision-making

(A) SOCIAL PERCEPTION

a) ATTRIBUTION THEORY
b) Frequently used short cuts
a) ATTRIBUTION THERORY (internal and ext.)
OTHER ATTRIBUTES

Observation------------Interpretation---------- Attribution of cause

Distinctiveness High External

Distinctiveness Low Internal
Individual behavior Consensus High External
Consensus Low Internal
Consistency High Internal
Consistency Low External

LOCUS OF CONTROL

ATTRIBUTION ERRORS/biases
a) Fundamental attribution error
b) Self-serving bias
(b) Frequently used shortcuts
•HALO EFFECT (based on single trait)
•STEREOTYPING (group based generalization)
•Selective perception (based on interest, etc.)
•Contrast Effects

3.9 LINK BETWEEN PERCEPTION AND

DECISION MAKING IN ORGANIZATIONS
Rational decision making;
Behavioral decision making and
Intuitive decision making.
(i) Employment interview
(ii) Performance Expectations
(iii) Ethnic Profiling-
(iv) Performance Evaluations
(v) Employee Effort
(vi) Decisions
3.10 INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES AND
ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRAINTS
(i) Divergent perceptions
(ii) Conflicts

Culture Expectation
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
(personality, mental ability, gender, cultural
differences, past experiences, motivation,
expectation, emotional state, and attitude).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONSTRAINTS
i.Performance evaluation
ii.Reward system
iii.Formal regulation
iv.System imposed time constraint
v.Historical precedents
 Impression Management
“It is a conscious or subconscious attempt to influence  
perceptions of others about a person, object or event by
regulating & controlling information in social interaction”

“The process by which individuals attempt to control the

impression others form of them is called impression
management (IM).”

•social identity theory

•For certain goal
•(i) dress, makeup, hair style (ii) manner and general behavior (iii)
body language
•Nonverbal, verbal and behavioral
3.12 PROCESS OF IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT
-set goals
-commit to the changes you want to commit
-dress appropriately
-learn how to shake hands properly
-keep your body language open
-fake it until you feel it
-first impression (thin slicing: 1-minute impression)
-First contact
-introduction
-small talks
-be a good listener
3.13 EMPLOYEE IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Any Queries?
 Thank You All!

Dr. Sanjay Kumar Shrestha

Professor, Central Department of
Management, Tribhuvan University,
Kirtipur
sanjaycares@hotmail.com
9851199989