Perception of an Individual
5-1
A process by which individuals organize and
interpret their sensory impressions in order to
give meaning to their environment.
People’s behavior is based on their perception
of what reality is, not on reality itself.
The world as it is perceived is the world that is
behaviorally important.
6-2
Discussion Question
How do you explain that individuals may look
at the same thing, yet perceive it differently?
5-3
6-4
Our perception and judgment of others is significantly
influenced by our assumptions of the other person’s
internal state.
◦ When individuals observe behavior, they attempt to
determine whether it is internally or externally
caused.
Internal causes are under that person’s control
External causes are not under the person’s control
6-5
Causation judged through:
◦Distinctiveness
Shows different behaviors in different situations
◦Consensus
Response is the same as others to same situation
◦Consistency
Responds in the same way over time
5-6
Summary
5-7
Fundamental Attribution Error
◦ The tendency to underestimate the
influence of external factors and
overestimate the influence of internal
factors when making judgments about
the behavior of others
◦ We blame people first, not the
situation
6-8
Self-Serving Bias
◦The tendency for individuals to attribute their
own successes to internal factors while putting the
blame for failures on external factors
◦It is “our” success but “their” failure
5-9
False-consensus effect (similar-to-
me effect): A perceptual error in
which we overestimate the extent to
which others have beliefs and
characteristics similar to our own
5-
10
Selective Perception
◦ People selectively interpret what they
see on the basis of their interests,
background, experience, and attitudes
Halo Effect
◦ Drawing a general impression about an
individual on the basis of a single
characteristic
6-
11
Contrast Effects
◦Evaluation of a person’s characteristics that are affected by
comparisons with other people recently encountered who rank
higher or lower on the same characteristics
Stereotyping
Judging someone on the basis of
one’s perception of the group to
which that person belongs
5-
12
Primacy effect: A perceptual error
in which we quickly form an opinion
of people on the basis of the first
information we receive about them.
Recency effect: A perceptual error
in which the most recent information
dominates our perception of others
5-
13
