Perciption

Chapter 2 Perception

Perception is Important
Differences in perception are widespread
Not all differences are of equal importance
Not everyone’s perceptions have equal status
What does perception have to do with communication?
You communicate your perceptions through language
You use your perceptual filters to interpret others’ messages
Your communication shapes your perceptions of others

Perception Defined 
Perception: the way in which an individual gives meaning to an object, messages or event
Perception is a process
Objective reality: the actual object, message or event
You filter this through:
Past experiences
Prior knowledge
Psychological state

Perception Defined
Subjective reality: Result of filtering
Everyone interprets reality differently
No two people have the exact same reality
You need to communicate your reality to others in a way they understand
You need to be open to listening
Goal is shared understanding

A Perception Model
Prior Knowledge
Knowledge base you’ve developed over years of experience and education
Critical to making sense of what you see and hear
Prior Experiences
Use to help you make sense of your world

A Perception Model
Psychological state
Identity: your sense of self as a unique individual
You interact in relationship to the way you define yourself
Ex. Men & women, wealthy & poor, young & elderly
Identity includes personality traits
Based on external traits: marital status, job, etc.
Identity can impact your values and worldviews

A Perception Model
Values reflect what you see as good/bad, right/wrong
World views are group-related value orientations
Self-concept: how you view yourself
Emotional state: additional filter (ex. Anxiety)
Physical variables: health, location, weakened sense

A Perception Model Prior Knowledge Prior Experiences Psychological State Perceptual Processes (including selective attention, projection, stereotyping, halo effect, attributions, etc.) = Subjective Reality

A Perception Model
Selective attention
We are bombarded by so many messages
Impossible to pay attention to them all
You make decisions to pay attention to some more than others
We pay attention to message that are:
Thrust at us (ex. Loud noises, dazzling colors, pungent smells)
Interesting to us
Related to us specifically (ex. Name)

A Perception Model
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Role expectations play in your perceptions
You see what you want/expect to see
People tend to live up to expectations of significant others
Positive or negative
Stereotype threat : negative cultural stereotypes about a group can create a belief in the stereotypes among members

A Perception Model
Halo Effect, Attribution Error and Projection
Halo effect: occurs when you make assumptions based upon limited information
Positive or negative
Attribution error : attempt to attribute causes of events to either personalities or external situations
Projection : tendency to see your own faults (or strengths) in others and point out those traits

A Perception Model
Concepts to minimize communication breakdowns resulting from perceptual differences
Recognize the distinction between objective and subjective reality
Your differences in perception are rooted in individual differences
How you look at differences matter
Communication is a central skill in the perception process

Sharpening Your Perceptions
Facts/opinion confusion
Statements of fact:
Are based on observable sensory data
Are only about the past or present, never the future
Are objective and free from interpretations, conclusions or assumptions about what has been observed

Sharpening Your Perception
Statements of opinion:
Go beyond what has been observed
Are about the past, present or future
Include interpretations, conclusions or assumptions about what has been observed and are subjective
State your opinions by using an “I” message
“ I think,” “To me,” “From my point of view”

Checking Perceptions
Responses to someone’s verbal/nonverbal communication
They share an impression of the person’s message
Open-minded, non-evaluative statements that invite a response
Help to verify assumptions or opinions
Provide a way to confirm what you are thinking

How to phrase a clear perception check:
State your perception of another person’s behavior
Present the perception in an open-minded or tentative way
“I may be wrong,” “It seems”
Express your perception in a non-evaluative way
Invite a response
Short question
Rising inflection

Learning conversations
Process for learning about the perceptions of others
Debates: attempt to win, convince the other person you are right
Dialogue: goal is to understand, not win and requires a curiosity of others

Content messages: describe facts about what happen, often include assumptions
Feeling messages: how someone feels, most likely expressed in body language
Identity messages: how people see themselves and how they are affected

Purpose of learning conversations:
Understanding another person’s point of view
Sharing your point of view
Understanding/sharing feelings
Working together to resolve a problem
Move from “convincing” other person to cultivating “curiosity” about others’ views

Phases of learning conversations
Invite the person to share his/her different point of view
Share the differing points of view
Ask for information about his/her experiences
Paraphrase the speaker’s message
Focus on learning, not winning
Problem solving

Perception and Technology
New technology allows people to change and shape reality
Be critical of what you see and hear
Call for media literacy awareness
Media constructs messages to broadcast
Messages use creative language with specific rules
Messages are understood differently by different people
Decision-makers have their own points of view
Goal is usually more money and/or power

Perception and Technology
5 Questions for Critical Media Viewing
Who created this message?
What creative techniques were used to attract my attention?
How might other people understand this message differently than I?
What values, lifestyles, and points of view are being represented in, or omitted from, this message?
Why is this message being sent?

Perciption

by Babasab Patil

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Perciption

by Babasab Patil

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Perciption Presentation Transcript

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