ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

PERCEPTION
What Is Perception, and
Why Is It Important?
 Factors
That
Influence
Perception
 Perceptual Organization

• It is the process by which people group stimuli

into recognizable patterns.
• Selection gives way to organization and stimuli
selected for attention then appears as a whole.
• Factors influencing “Perceptual Organization”:
- Ambiguous Figures
- Figure Background
- Grouping
- Constancy
Principle of Similarity in Perception

• It is exemplified when objects of similar shape,

size or color tend to be grouped together

Principle of Proximity in Perception

• It underlines the tendency to perceive stimuli which are
near to one another as belonging together.

Principle of Closure in Perception

• It states that a person has a tendency to perceive a whole when none
exists. The perceptual process will close the gaps which are unfilled from the
sensory inputs.
Principle of Continuity in Perception

• It is the tendency to perceive objects as continuing patterns. It is closely related

to the principle of closure.
• Closure supplies the missing stimuli; whereas the continuity principle depicts
that a person would tend to perceive continuous lines or patterns.
 Perceptual Constancy

• Perceptual Constancy is our ability to perceive

certain characteristics of an object as remaining
constant, despite variations in the stimuli that
provide us with conflicting information.
• Perceptual Constancy is of the following types:
- Shape Constancy
- Size Constancy
- Color Constancy
 Process of Interpreting

The process of interpretation depends on several

factors, namely:

• Perceptual Set
• Attribution
• Stereotyping
• Primacy/Recency Effects
• Halo effect
• Perceptual context
• Perceptual defense
• Implicit Personality theory
• Projection
 Perceptual Set
When previously held beliefs about objects
influence an individual’s perceptions of similar
objects it is referred to as “Perceptual Set”

Attribution
It refers to the process by which the individual
assigns causes to the behavior he or she
conceives.

Stereotyping
It is the tendency to assign attributes to someone
solely on the basis of a category of people to
which that person belongs.
 Primacy Effect
It refers to the disproportionately high weight
given to the first information obtained about a
stimulus.

Recency Effect
It refers to the disproportionately high weight given to the
last information obtained about a stimulus.
.
 Perceptual Context
It refers to the context in which an object is placed
influences perception. The organizational culture &
structure provide the primary context in which workers
and managers do their perceiving
 Perceptual Defense
• Here an individual is likely to put up a defense when confronted with conflicting,
unacceptable or threatening stimuli.
• It could be in the form of outright denial, modification of the data received, change in
perception but refusal to change & change in the perception itself.

Implicit Personality Theory

While judging & making inferences about others, an
individual’s perceptions are influenced by his belief that
certain human traits are associated with one another
(eg: honesty & hardworking).
Frequently Used Shortcuts
in Judging Others
Frequently Used Shortcuts in Judging
Others
Frequently Used Shortcuts in Judging
Others
 Managing the Perception process

• Have a high level of self-awareness

• Seek information from various sources to confirm
or disconfirm personal impressions of a decision
situation.
• Be empathetic-that is, be able to see a situation
as it is perceived by other people.
• Influence perceptions of other people when they
are drawing incorrect or incomplete impressions
of events in the work settings.
 Managing the Perception process

• Avoid common perceptual distortions that bias

our views of people & situations.
• Avoid inappropriate attributions
• Diversity management programs
• Knowing yourself/oneself (Self-Perceptions).
Self-Perceptions: The Johari
Window
Johari Window is an effective way to
conceptualize the possible combinations of what
one individual knows about himself/herself &
what others know about him/her.
 The Johari Window

• Developed by Joseph Luft & Harry Ingham (Thus the name

Johari Window), this model is useful for analyzing the causes
for inter-personal conflict.

• The model is based on two assumptions:

- Degree to which the person knows about himself or
herself.
- Degree to which the person is known to others.

• The basic platform of this model is that personal &

professional relationships of people in organizations can be
greatly improved (conflict eliminated) through understanding
others.
The Johari Window

Feedback
Known to Not Known to
Self Self

Known to Open Area Blind Area

Others
Disclosure

Not Known
to Others Hidden Area Unknown Area
 Social Perception

It is the process of combining, integrating, and

interpreting information about others to gain an
accurate understanding of them.