Chapter 9 Perception and Attribution. Objectives Define perception and explain the perceptual process Identify the sources of misinterpretation in

Chapter 9

Perceptionand

Attribution

Objectives

Define perception and explain the perceptual process

Identify the sources of misinterpretation in cross-cultural interactions

Understand both the benefits and the drawbacks of the perceptual process

9 -1Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/EJoyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

…Objectives

Recognize common perceptual errors

Describe the Johari window

Explain attribution theory

Understand the relevance of perception and attribution for managers


Subject: The paomnnehil pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig, huh?

Can You Understand This?


Perception - Defined

Perception is the process by which we

select,

organize, and

evaluate

the stimuli in our

environment to make

it meaningful for ourselves


Selective Attention

9 -5

Perceived Stimuli (Selective attention)

Unnoticed Stimuli

Salience

Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/EJoyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Factors that AffectWhat We Perceive

Internal

Motives

Values

Interests

Attitudes

Past experiences

Expectations

9 -6

External

Motion

Intensity

Size

Novelty

Salience


Patterns that Help Us Organize Stimuli

Opposites – “pros and cons”

Cause-and-effect relationships – “If the clients asked lots of questions, that means I’ll make the sale”

Schemas – “my view of what a boss does”


Schemas - Defined

9 -8

Schemas are mental maps of different concepts, events, or types of stimuli that contain both the attributes of the concept and the relationship among the attributes

Once established, theydetermine what stimuli we attend to and remember


Social Identity Theory - Defined

Based on the belief that people tend: to perceive themselves and others in terms of social

categories rather than as individuals (social categorization)

to assess the relative worth of groups as well as individuals by comparing them (social comparison)

to perceive and respond to the world not as detached observers but in terms of their identity, which depends on the social groups to which they belong (social identification)


Stereotyping - Defined

Stereotyping occurs when we attribute

behavior or attitudes to a person on the

basis of the group or category to which the

person belongs


When Is Stereotyping Helpful?

Consciously heldDescriptiveAccurateThe “first best guess” about a group/personModified after further experience and

observation


Drawbacks of Perception

Prevents us from taking in everything we should

Makes our interpretations questionable

Promotes stereotypes


Benefits of Perception

The process of perception limits, selects

and organizes stimuli that would

otherwise overwhelm us


Perceptual Distortions to Avoid

Stereotyping The halo effect Primacy and recency effects Central tendency Contrast effects Projection Self-fulfilling perceptual defenses


Johari Window

9 -15

Arena

Façade

Blindspot

Unknown

Known to self Unknown to self

Known to others

Unknown to others


Sources of Cross-Cultural Misinterpretation

Subconscious cultural blinders

Lack of cultural self-awareness

Projected similarity


D.I.E. ModelTeaches people to distinguish among

description, interpretation, and evaluation of

cultural behavior

Description: observed fact Interpretation: inferences Evaluation: judgments/feelings

Description is the safest way to avoid errors and

misattributions9 -17Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E

Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

Attribution Theory - DefinedAccording to attribution theory, when

people observe behavior, they attempt to

determine whether it is internally or

externally caused

People look for information about

consensus, consistency, and

distinctiveness to decide on causation9 -18Organizational Behavior: An Experiential Approach 8/E

Joyce S. Osland, David A. Kolb, Irwin M. Rubin and Marlene E. Turner

…Attribution Theory


Self-Serving Bias -Defined

Self-serving bias is the tendency for

people to attribute their successes to

internal factors while blaming external

factors for their failures


Fundamental Attribution Error -Defined

Fundamental attribution error is the

tendency to underestimate the influence of

external factors and overestimate the

influence of internal factors when making

judgments about the behavior of others


Documents

Chapter 9 Perception and Attribution. Objectives Define perception and explain the perceptual process Identify the sources of misinterpretation in