PERCEPTION

CONCEPT
Perception is a process by which
people regard, analyze, retrieve and • Perception is a process
by which people
react to any kind of information from regard, analyze,
the environment. For example, some retrieve and react to
people feel happy about earning money any kind of information
from the environment.
while others feel happy about spending For example, some
money. people feel happy about
earning money while
others feel happy about
spending money.
FACTORS INFLUENCING
PERCEPTION
 Characteristics of Perceiver
The perceiver refers to the individual who is perceiving or observing a situation or object. The
characteristics of the perceiver can greatly influence their perception.

Characteristics of the perceiver influencing perception are:

These characteristics include their personality, values, beliefs, attitudes, experiences, and expectations.
• Attitude
• Motive
• Interest
• Experience
• Expectation
• Self-Concept

For example, if someone has a positive attitude towards a certain group of people, they may perceive
their actions in a more favorable light compared to someone with a negative attitude towards the same
group.
 Characteristics of PERCEIVED

The target refers to the object or situation that is being perceived. The
characteristics of the target can also have a significant impact on the
perception of the perceiver.

Characteristics of the Perceived in Perception are:-

These characteristics include the physical appearance of the target, its
behavior, and its context.
• Physical Appearance
• Verbal Communication
• Non Verbal Communication
• Objects

For example, a person’s perception of a painting may be influenced by the

colors used, the subject matter, and the artist’s intent.
 Characteristics of Situation

The situation refers to the context in which the perception is taking place. The
characteristics of the situation can influence the perceiver’s perception,

Characteristics of the Situation are:-

It includes the social norms, the physical environment, and the social context.
• Time
• Work Setting
• Social Setting

For example, a person’s perception of a crowded city street may be influenced by

factors such as the weather, the time of day, and the presence of other people.
Factors Influencing Perception (Types)

• Factors that influence perception relate to the perceiver,

perceived, and situation. All these factors are of two
kinds.
1.Internal (Endogeneous) factors
2.External (Exogeneous) factors
 Internal (Endogenous) Factors Influencing Perception

These are the factors that originate from within the individual perceiver. They are inherent to the individual and include the following factors;
•Personality
•Needs and Desire
•Attitudes
•Values
•Beliefs
•Expectations
•Emotions
•Motives
•Past experiences

These factors can greatly influence the way an individual perceives and interprets the world around them.

Personality: an individual’s characteristic pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Needs and Desires: an individual’s biological or psychological requirements or cravings.
Attitudes: an individual’s positive or negative evaluations or feelings about a particular object, person, or situation.
Values: an individual’s beliefs or principles that guide their behavior and decision-making.
Beliefs: an individual’s convictions or opinions about the nature of reality, people, or things.
Expectations: an individual’s predictions or assumptions about what will happen in a particular situation.
Emotions: an individual’s affective state or feelings that can influence their perception of the world.
Motives: an individual’s reasons or intentions that drive their behavior or decision-making.
Past experiences: an individual’s previous interactions or exposures to particular objects, people, or situations that can influence their perception .
External (Exogenous) Factors Influencing Perception

These are the factors that originate from outside the individual perceiver. They include the characteristics of the perceived object or
situation, as well as the context in which the perception takes place.
• Size
• Intensity
• Frequency
• Repetition
• Contrast
• Status
• Movement

These factors can include the physical features of the perceived object, the social and cultural norms surrounding the situation, and
the social and physical environment in which the perception takes place.

• Size: the physical dimensions of an object, which can influence its perceived importance or significance.
• Intensity: the strength or power of a stimulus, which can influence its perceived significance or impact.
• Frequency: the number of times a stimulus is encountered, which can influence its perceived familiarity or importance.
• Repetition: the presentation of a stimulus multiple times, which can influence its perceived importance or impact.
• Contrast: the difference between a stimulus and its background or context, which can influence its perceived salience or
prominence.
• Status: an individual’s perceived social position or rank, which can influence their perception of themselves and others.
• Movement: the motion or change in position of a stimulus, which can influence its perceived significance or impact.
Factors Influencing Individual Perception (in General)

• The following are the key factors that can affect the
perception of any individual:
1. Personal Characteristics
2. Expectations and Prior Knowledge
3. Physical and Emotional State
4. Context and Environment
5. Motivation and Interest
6. Attention and Distraction
1. Personal Characteristics
Personal characteristics such as age, gender, education, and culture can significantly impact an individual’s perception. For example,
individuals from different cultures may perceive the same information differently due to differences in their cultural backgrounds.

2. Expectations and Prior Knowledge

Expectations and prior knowledge can also affect perception. Individuals tend to interpret information based on their prior experiences
and knowledge, and they may make assumptions based on their expectations. For example, an individual who expects a product to be of
high quality may perceive it as such, even if the actual quality is average.

3. Physical and Emotional State

Physical and emotional states can also impact perception. For example, an individual who is hungry or tired may perceive information
differently compared to when they are well-rested and satiated. Similarly, emotions such as fear or excitement can also influence how an
individual perceives information.

4.Context and Environment

The context and environment in which information is presented can also affect perception. For example, the same message presented in a
different context, such as a comedy show versus a news program, may be perceived differently.

5.Motivation and Interest

An individual’s level of motivation and interest in the subject matter can also impact perception. Individuals who are motivated and
interested in a particular topic may be more attentive and better able to perceive information related to that topic.

6.Attention and Distraction

Attention and distraction can also affect perception. Individuals who are distracted may miss important details or misinterpret
 PROCESS OF PERCEPTION
• Perception is the process of selecting,
organizing, and interpreting sensory
information. This cognitive and
psychological process begins with
receiving stimuli through our primary
senses (vision, hearing, touch, taste,
and smell). This information is then
passed along to corresponding areas
of the brain and organized into our
existing structures and patterns, and
then interpreted based on previous
experiences
1. Selecting Information

• We take in information through all five of our senses, but our perceptual field (the
world around us) includes so many stimuli that it is impossible for our brains to
process and make sense of it all.
• So, as information comes in through our senses, various factors influence what
actually continues on through the perception process . Selecting is the first part of
the perception process, in which we focus our attention on certain incoming sensory
information.
• Think about how, out of many other possible stimuli to pay attention to, you may
hear a familiar voice in the hallway, see a pair of shoes you want to buy from across
the mall, or smell something cooking for dinner when you get home from work. We
quickly cut through and push to the background all kinds of sights, smells, sounds,
and other stimuli, but how do we decide what to select and what to leave out?
2. Organizing Information

• Organizing is the second part of the perception process, in which we

sort and categorize information that we perceive based on innate and
learned cognitive patterns. Three ways we sort things into patterns are
by using proximity, similarity, and difference.
• Proximity
In terms of proximity, we tend to think that things that
are close together go together

For example, have you ever been waiting to be helped

in a business and the clerk assumes that you and the
person standing near you are together? The moment
usually ends when you and the other person in line
look at each other, then back at the clerk, and one of
you explains that you are not together. Even though
you may have never met that other person in your life,
the clerk used a basic perceptual organizing cue to
group you together because you were standing in
proximity to one another.
• Similarity
We also group things together based on similarity.
We tend to think similar-looking or similar-acting
things belong together.

For example, a group of friends that spend time

together are all males, around the same age, of the
same race, and have short hair. People might
assume that they are brothers. Despite the fact
that many of their features are different, the
salient features are organized based on similarity
and they are assumed to be related.
• Difference

We also organize information that we take in based

on difference. In this case, we assume that the item
that looks or acts different from the rest doesn’t
belong with the group.
For example, if you ordered ten burgers and nine of
them are wrapped in paper and the last is in a
cardboard container, you may assume that the burger
in the container is different in some way.
 IMPORTANCE OF PERCEPTION
• Perception is a subjective, active, and creative process through which we
assign meaning to sensory information to understand ourselves and others.
• It can be defined as our recognition and interpretation of sensory
information. It also includes how we respond to the information. It is the
process by which an organism detects and interprets information from the
external world by means of the sensory receptors.
• It is our sensory experience of the world around us and involves both the
recognition of environmental stimuli and actions in response to these stimuli.
• Through the perceptual process, we gain information about the properties
and elements of the environment that are critical to our survival.
• Perception not only creates our experience of the world around us; it allows
us to act within our environment.
1. Perception is very important in understanding human behavior because every person perceives the
world and approaches life problems differently. Whatever we see or feel is not necessarily the same as
it really is. When we buy something, it is not because it is the best, but because we take it to be the
best.
2. If people behave based on their perception, we can predict their behavior in the changed
circumstances by understanding their present perception of the environment. One person may view
the facts in one way, which may be different from the facts seen by another viewer.
3. With the help of perception, the needs of various people can be determined because their needs
influence people’s perceptions.
4. Perception is very important for the manager who wants to avoid making errors when dealing with
people and events in the work setting. This problem is made more complicated by the fact that
different people perceive the same situation differently. In order to deal with subordinates effectively,
managers must understand their perceptions properly.
5. Perception can be important because it offers more than objective output; it ingests an observation
and manufactures an altered reality enriched with previous experiences.
6. Perception builds character (not necessarily good or bad character) that defines different roles
individuals fall into the clown, the hypocrite, the self-righteous, the victim, etc.
7. It is vitally important if we want to get along with others to try to see things from their perspective or
walk in their shoes for a while. If we walk in their shoes, we will gain a new perspective about things
and, in that, understand the other and also can love and help the other more appropriately.
 EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
• Emotional intelligence, sometimes referred to as
EI or EQ, is the ability to recognize, interpret,
and regulate your own emotions, as well as
those of other people. Emotional intelligence
skills are abilities that allow for better emotional
understanding and management.

• Being emotionally intelligent is linked to a

range of benefits, including higher academic
achievement, better decision-making
abilities ,and greater overall success in
life. Some experts even suggest that
EQ might be more important than IQ, or
intellectual intelligence.
 COMPONENTS OF EQ

1. Self-awareness
• If you’re self-aware, you can see your own patterns of behaviors and
motives. You know how your emotions and actions impact those
around you, for better or for worse. You can name your own emotions
when they come up and understand why they’re there.
• You can also recognize your triggers, identify your strengths, and see
your own limitations.
2. Self-regulation

• If you can self-regulate, your emotional reactions are in proportion to

the given circumstances.
• You know how to pause, as needed, and control your impulses. You
think before you act and consider the consequences.
• It also means you know how to ease tension, manage conflict, cope
with difficult scenarios, and adapt to changes in your environment. It’s
all about bringing out the part of yourself that helps manage emotions.
3. Motivation
• If you’re intrinsically motivated, you have a thirst for personal development. You’re highly driven to
succeed, whatever your version of success looks like.
• You’re inspired to accomplish goals because it helps you grow as a person, rather than doing it for
outside rewards like money, fame, status, or recognition.

4. Empathy
• If you’re empathic, you’re a healthy level of self-interested — but not self-centered.
• In conversations, you can understand where someone is coming from. You can “walk a mile in their
shoes,” so to speak. Even if the exact scenario hasn’t happened to you, you can draw on your life
experience to imagine how it may feel and be compassionate about what they’re going through.
• You’re slow to judge others and possess the awareness that we’re all just doing the best we can with
the circumstances we’ve been given. When we know better, we do better.

5. Social skills
• If you’ve developed your social skills, you’re adept at working in teams. You’re aware of others and
their needs in a conversation or conflict resolution.
• You’re welcoming in conversation, using active listening, eye contact, verbal communication skills,
and open body language. You know how to develop a rapport with others or express leadership, if
the occasion calls for it.
 Examples of emotional intelligence
1. Self-regulation
• Scenario: You’re in a meeting and a boss criticizes you in front of other co-workers.
• Higher EQ: You maintain composure, then politely excuse yourself to process your emotions in a safe environment.
• Lower EQ: You may become defensive and storm out of the office.
2. Empathy
• Scenario: Your roommate tells you that it hurts their feelings when you forget to take out the trash, which you agreed to.
• Higher EQ: You explain why you dropped the ball and tell them you understand why they’re hurt, then come up with an action plan
together about how to get both of your needs met.
• Lower EQ: You find it difficult to understand why they’re so upset and feel attacked by their criticism.
3. Self-awareness
• Scenario: You and your colleague were up for the same promotion, but they got it instead of you.
• Higher EQ: You reflect and realize that, if you’re being honest with yourself, you weren’t working as hard as your co-worker and
their promotion is well-deserved.
• Lower EQ: You may fire off an angry email to your boss, demanding an explanation or threatening to quit.
4. Motivation
• Scenario: You passed an exam and posted about it on social media.
• Higher EQ: You’re proud of yourself for the goal that you achieved and appreciative of any support you receive.
• Lower EQ: You may question your success or worth because your post didn’t get very many “likes.”
5. Social skills
• Scenario: You’re on a date and it doesn’t seem to be going very well.
• Higher EQ: You ask open-ended questions, maintain good eye contact, and practice active listening.
• Lower EQ: You may stop paying attention and decide there must be something wrong with your date.