PERCEPTION

Meaning and significance of Perception

Perception may be defined as the process by which an individual selects, organizes and interprets stimuli into a meaningful and coherent picture of the environment in which he lives. It is a complex cognitive process and differs from one individual to another, depending on the needs, values and expectations of the individual. Sometimes an individuals perception may be far removed from reality. Perceptual differences can sometimes lead to conflicts in the organization. Perceptions may also differ from organization to organization.

PERCEPTION
Perception refers to the interpretation of the sensory data. It is a process through which the information from outside environment is selected, received, organized and interpreted to make it meaningful. This input of meaningful information results in decisions and actions. Perception is primarily an individual process so that different people may perceive an identical situation differently. People behave on the basis of what they perceive reality to be and not necessarily as what reality is.

Major Influences on the perception Process

Characteristics of the Perceiver Needs Values Experiences Attitudes

Characteristics of the Perceived Appearance Communication Behavior

Characteristics of the Situation Physical Location Social setting Organizational Setting

Perception Overall understandi ng of perception

PERCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION
Perceptual Organization is the process by which we group outside stimuli into recognizable and identifiable patterns and whole objects.

Factors which contribute to perceptual organization

1.

2.

Figure Ground Perceptual Grouping Continuity Closure Proximity Similarity

Figure-Ground

The tendency to distinguish and focus on a stimulus that is classified as figure as opposed to background. The perceiver uses his perception in organizing incoming stimuli into recognizable figures that are seen against a ground.

Perceptual Grouping
Perceptual grouping identifies our tendency to group several individual stimuli into a meaningful and recognizable pattern. Factors underlying this grouping are: Continuity Closure Proximity Similarity

Factors of Perceptual Grouping

Continuity: - It relates to the tendency to perceive objects as continuous patterns. The continuity principle says that the person will tend to perceive continuous lines or patterns.

Closure

Closure

The tendency to organize perceptual stimuli so that, together, they form a complete message.

Contd

c)Proximity: - The principle of proximity states that a group of objects or people who are physically close to each other may be perceived as related to each other so that they stand out as one unit. Similarity: - The principle of similarity states that the greater the similarity among the objects or people, the greater the tendency to perceive them as a common group.

Perceptual Selectivity
It refers to the tendency to select certain objects from the surrounding for attention such that these objects are consistent with our existent beliefs, values and needs.

Factors Influencing Stimuli Selection

Factors of Stimuli Selection

External Factors

Internal Factors

Intensity Size Contrast Repetition Movement Novelty Familiarity Order

Learning and Perception Motivation and Perception

External Factors:
Intensity The intensity of an external stimulus determines its probability of being perceived. A bright light , a strong odor or a loud noise are more likely to be noticed.

Size: a larger object is more likely to be noticed than a smaller object. Contrast :The stimuli that contradicts most with the background or the expectation of people receive maximum attention. Repetition: the more number of times a stimuli is repeated, the more it is likely to be noticed. Motion: People give more attention to moving objects than to stationary objects.

Novelty and Familiarity: New objects in a familiar situation or familiar objects in situation draw the perceivers attention. For example, during job rotation, when an employee is shifted from one job to another , he is likely to give more attention to new job because he has to perform new duties.

Internal factors
People select those stimuli from the environment that appears to them and suit them based on their learning and motivation.

Barriers to Perceptual Accuracy

Stereotyping Halo Effect Expectancy Perceptual Defense Projection

Stereotype: We often tend to classify people and events into already known or perceived general categories. 1. Sex role stereotype 2. Age stereotypes Halo Effect: It refers to the tendency of judging a person entirely on the basis of a single trait that may be favorable or unfavorable.

Expectancy: It is a tendency to perceive people, objects or events on the basis of what we expected them to be in the first place. It is also called as Pygmallion effect. This phenomenon is also rightly remarked as SELF- FULFILLING PROPHECY

Perceptual Defense: It is the mental process by which we tend to protect ourselves from such objects, situations or stimuli that are emotionally disturbing or perceptually threatening. Projection: It refers to the tendency of people to see their own traits in other people, i.e. they project their own characteristics into others.

Perceptual Process
Stimuli Organising (Or Receiving Stimuli)

Selective Attention (or Selecting Stimuli)

Perceptual Organisation

Interpreting (Assigning meaning)

Response

Perception: Implications for Managers

Helps understand the difference between perceived world and real world Plays decisive role in employee hiring Key role in performance appraisal Helps determine loyalty of employees Treating employees under Theory Y Individual decision making

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