Perceptual Process

Case Study

Kumar was jailed for 2 years when he was 18 years

for stealing a camera.

Felt ashamed of his behavior vowed to change

himself by being truthful, honest and hardworking

Secured job as a loading handyman at a wholesale

distributor of an automobile tyre shop despite his
criminal background thanks to Mr Patel, where
Kumar eventually rose to distribution manager
upon Mr Patel’s retirement after 20 years

Kumar also completed his college degree on a part

time basis while working.
Case Study (Cont)

Ram who was also a convict, approaches Kumar in search

of a job promising to be a hard worker. Kumar recalling his
own background decided to give . Ram a chance. Ram
carries out the job very well.
A worker complains that his wallet is missing. Kumar
confronts Ram and he denies any wrong doing. Kumar was
upset about the incident and the wallet was eventually
found a few days later.
The clerk while updating the personnel's records and
mentions to few staff members of Ram’s Jail term and was
happy that the company provides convicts a second chance.

The situation intensifies when petty cash is missing and

Ram was seen in the area. Some even suggested that Ram
returned wallet because he was questioned. Ram denied
taking money from the petty cash.
What Should Kumar Do?

Should Kumar But what if Ram is

fire Ram? innocent?

The effect on If Ram is not fired

Kumar’s Kumar will lose trust
conscience if he and there will be
fires an innocent tension in office
man…
Case Study (cont)…

 Why is Kumar facing such problems?

 Is Ram really a thief?
 What made other employees accuse
Ram without clear evidence?
 Is it something to do with perception?
 What is perception?
What is Perception

 Perception is a process by which

individuals organize and interpret
their sensory in order to give meaning
to their environment.

 Perception can be substantially or

entirely different from the reality.
Perception & Decision
Making
 The way individuals make decisions and the quality
of their choices are largely influenced by their
perceptions.

 Decision making occurs as a reaction to a problem.

 Some one’s problem may be a satisfactory state of

affair to another.

 So awareness that a problem exists and that a

decision might or might not be needed is a
perceptual issue.
Perception & Decision
Making
 Every decision requires interpretation and evaluation
of information. We typically receive information
from multiple sources and interpret them.

 Which data are relevant to the decision, and which

are not? Our perceptions will answer that question.

 We also need to develop alternatives and evaluate

their strengths and weaknesses. Again, our
perceptual process will affect the final outcome.
Main Questions….

 Identification of personal & situational

characteristics in terms of the perceptual
process.

 The information that Kumar requires to take a

decision about Ram.

 Why did everyone believe that Ram is a thief?

Can a thief never become an honest man?
Analyzing Questions…….

 Identification of personal &

situational characteristics in terms
of the perceptual process.
Perceptual process

 A process by which individuals organize and

interpret their sensory impressions in order to
give meaning to their environment.

Receiving Selecting Organizing

Response Interpreting
Factors Influencing Perception

Factors in the situation

•Time
•Work setting
•Social setting
Factors in the target

•Motion
•Sound
•Size
•Novelty
•Background
•Similarity
Factors in the perceiver

•Attitude
•Interests
•Motives
•Experience
Situational Characteristics

 The tension that has arisen in office due to

the loss of petty cash and the employee’s
wallet.

 Several employees have requested Kumar to

fire Ram.

 The employees will refuse to trust Kumar if

Ram is not fired.
Personal Characteristics

 Kumar believes that Ram is innocent based on

his own experience

 Kumar is willing to give a second chance to

people as he got one in his carrier

 Ram’s past background influences

 Many workers have the attitude that once a

thief is always a thief
Analyzing Questions…….

 Theinformation that Kumar

requires to take a decision about
Ram…….
Steps in handling the issue

 Kumar should come to resolve the problem

with a free and unbiased mind set.

 Kumar should avoid making pre assumptions

about Ram and conduct a proper inquiry.

 Collect as much information as possible

relating to the matter.
Steps in handling the issue

 What information to be collected..??

 Petty Cash record
 Statement from the person handling petty cash
 Statement from Ram
 Bills and invoices relating to petty cash
 Statements from other employees who complained
about Ram
 Statement from the person who lost the wallet
previously

 Kumar needs to exercise his judgment to

ensure that the statements given by the other
employees are not fabricated.
Steps in handling the issue

 If the information collected proves that Ram

is the culprit, Kumar has to take action
against Ram as per company policy.

 If information clearly proves that Ram is

innocent, Kumar has to make it clear to
other staff that Ram is 100% clean.

 If the information is not substantial enough to

take a decision, Kumar should obtain help
from a third party to resolve the issue.
Analyzing Questions…….


Why did everyone believe that Ram
is a thief? Can a thief never become
an honest man?
Making Judgment About
Others
 Attribution Theory:

Our perception and judgment of a

person’s actions, therefore, will be
significantly influenced by the
assumptions we make about that
person’s internal state
 Factors that Determine our
Perception About Others.
Distinctiveness:
 Displaying different behavior in different
situation. Whether this aspect is unusual
(external) or usual (internal)
Consensus:
 If everyone who faces a similar situation
responds in the same way, we can say the
behavior shows consensus.
Consistency:
 Does the person respond the same way over
time?
 
Common Shortcuts in Judging
Others.
 Selective perception:
 We cannot observe everything going on about
us and we engage in selective perception

 Halo Effect:
 Our general views contaminate our specific
ones. That is when we draw a general
impression about an individual on the basis of a
single characteristic, such as intelligence,
sociability, or appearance, a halo effect is
operating.
Common Shortcuts in Judging
Others.

 Contrast Effect:
 We don’t evaluate a person in isolation. Our
reaction is influenced by other persons we have
recently encountered

 Stereotyping:
 When we judge someone on the basis of our
perception of the group to which he or she
belongs, we are using the shortcut called
stereotyping.
Conclusion
 Is once a thief, always a thief…..??

 Can a thief never become an

honest man…??

 Is it accurate to base everything on

our perception?

 Is perception a reality?
Conclusion
 Perception is highly subjective

 Qualitative characteristic within human

beings

 Different individuals having different

perceptions towards a same thing

 Situational

 First impression
Conclusion

“It's all in the

mind.” 
- George
Harrison (lead
guitarist
Beatles)