This document discusses perception and attribution. It describes perception as a process of interpreting sensory information to make meaning of one's environment. Key aspects of perception discussed include social perception, self-perception, and factors that influence perception. Attribution is defined as how people explain their own and others' behaviors. The types of attribution discussed are dispositional, situational, and locus of control. Common attribution errors like the fundamental attribution error and self-serving bias are also outlined.

1. PERCEPTION
&
ATTRIBUTION

2. NATURE AND CONCEPT OF
PERCEPTION
THE SUB- PROCESSES
1. CONFRONTATION WITH THE SITUATION A PERSON
EXPERIENCES (E.G. ENCOUNTER WITH A PERSON OR AN
EVENT)
2. REGISTRATION OF STIMULUS, I.E. SENSING VARIOUS
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TARGET (E.G. PHYSICAL TRAITS,
DRESS)
3. SELECTION FROM THE DATA THOSE FACTS THAT WILL BE
USED TO FORM IDEA ABOUT THE TARGET (E.G. FACIAL
EXPRESSION)
4. ORGANISATION AND INTERPRETATION OF SELECTED
DATA, I.E. FORMATION OF THE CONCEPT (E.G. THE
PERSON IS FRIENDLY)

3. NATURE AND CONCEPT OF
PERCEPTION
• PEOPLE THINK, FEEL, & BEHAVE THE WAY THEY
PERCEIVE
• A PERSON’S UNIQUE INTERPRETATION, NOT EXACT
RECORDING OF THE SITUATION, EVENT OR PERSON,
WHICH MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE REALITY.
• A FILTER WHICH IS UNIQUE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL.
• RECOGNITION OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
PERCEPTUAL WORLD AND THE REAL WORLD IS VITAL
TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF ORGANISATIONAL
BEHAVIOUR.

4. NATURE AND CONCEPT OF
PERCEPTION
 IT IS A PROCESS BY WHICH INDIVIDUALS ORGANIZE AND
INTERPRET THEIR SENSORY IMPRESSIONS IN ORDER TO
GIVE MEANING TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
 KNOWLEDGE OF PERCEPTION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
PEOPLE’S BEHAVIOR IS BASED ON THEIR PERCEPTION OF
WHAT REALITY IS NOT ON REALITY ITSELF.
 ATTENTION FACTORS INFLUENCING PERCEPTION:
 FACTORS IN PERCEIVER (INTEREST, MOTIVES,
EXPECTATION)
 FACTORS IN SITUATION (TIME, WORK SETTING)
 FACTORS IN TARGET (SOUND, SIZE, NOVELTY,

5. SOCIAL PERCEPTION
 MAKING JUDGEMENTS ABOUT OTHER PERSONS, I.E.
HOW ONE INDIVIDUAL PERCEIVES OTHER
INDIVIDUALS.
 AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ORGANISATIONAL
CONTEXT BECAUSE PEOPLE IN ORGANISATIONS
CONSTANTLY PERCEIVE ONE ANOTHER.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERCEIVER
 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERCEIVED

6. SELF PERCEPTION
SELF-CONCEPT
• A SET OF BELIEFS ABOUT ONESELF, KNOWLEDGE AND
INFORMATION ABOUT ONESELF.
SELF-PERCEPTION
• THE PROCESS BY WHICH PEOPLE DEVELOP A VIEW OF
THEMSELVES.
SELF-ESTEEM
• AN EMOTIONAL DIMENSION OF SELF-PERCEPTION;
POSITIVE & NEGATIVE JUDGEMENTS ABOUT ONESELF.
• LOW SELF-ESTEEM MAY LEAD TO DEMOTIVATION
AND UNSUCCESSFUL OR DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR.

7. ATTRIBUTION
ATTRIBUTION IS COGNITIVE PROCESS BY WHICH
PEOPLE DRAW CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ONE ANOTHER'S
BEHAVIOUR.
ATTRIBUTION THEORY
• THE COGNITIVE PROCESS PEOPLE USE TO
EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF THEIR OWN AND
OTHERS BEHAVIOUR.
• HOW DO THEY INTERPRET BEHAVIOUR AS
BEING CAUSED BY OR ATTRIBUTED TO

8. TYPES OF ATTRIBUTION
DISPOSITIONAL ATTRIBUTION
• ASCRIBES A PERSON’S BEHAVIOUR TO INTERNAL
FACTORS SUCH AS PERSONALITY, TRAITS,
MOTIVATION OR ABILITY.
• IN GENERAL, PEOPLE USE THESE ATTRIBUTIONS TO
EXPLAIN THEIR SUCCESSES OR OTHERS’ FAILURES.
SITUATIONAL ATTRIBUTIONS
• ASCRIBES A PERSON’S BEHAVIOUR TO EXTERNAL
FACTORS SUCH AS EQUIPMENT, SOCIAL INFLUENCE
FROM OTHERS.
• IN GENERAL, PEOPLE USE THESE ATTRIBUTIONS TO
EXPLAIN THEIR FAILURES OR OTHERS’ SUCCESS.

9. TYPES OF ATTRIBUTION
THE LOCUS OF CONTROL ATTRIBUTION
• PERCEPTION OF OUTCOMES OF ONE’S ACTIONS
AS CONTROLLED INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY.
• EMPLOYEES WITH INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL
FEEL THEY PERSONALLY INFLUENCE OUTCOMES
THROUGH THEIR OWN ABILITY AND EFFORTS:
BETTER PERFORMANCE AND SATISFACTION.
• EMPLOYEES WITH EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL
FEEL OUTCOMES ARE BEYOND THEIR CONTROL
AND INFLUENCED BY EXTERNAL FORCES.

10. ATTRIBUTION ERRORS OR BIASES
1. THEORY OF FUNDAMENTAL ATTRIBUTION
ERROR
• TENDENCY TO ATTRIBUTE OTHERS’ BEHAVIOURS
TO PERSONAL FACTORS EVEN IF SITUATIONAL
FORCES CAUSED THEM.
2. THEORY OF SELF-SERVING BIAS
• TENDENCY TO PRESENT ONESELF FAVOURABLY,
I.E. ATTRIBUTION OF ONE’S SUCCESS TO
PERSONAL ABILITY AND EFFORT AND
ATTRIBUTION OF FAILURE TO EXTERNAL FORCES

11. SHORTCUTS IN JUDGING OTHERS
• SELECTIVE PERCEPTION: INTERPRETATION OF THE OBJECT ON
THE BASIS OF INTEREST, BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE.
• HALO EFFECT: DRAWING A GENERAL IMPRESSION OF AN
INDIVIDUAL ON THE BASIS OF SINGLE CHARACTERISTICS
• CONTRAST EFFECT: COMPARING THE IMPRESSION OF ONE
WITH ANOTHER.
• PROJECTION: HAVING IMPRESSION OF ONE’S OWN SELF TO
OTHERS.
• STEREOTYPING: TO JUDGE SOMEONE ON THE BASIS OF ONE’S
PERCEPTION OF THE GROUP TO WHICH THAT PERSON