Week 3 - Perception, Attribution, & Diversity

Question 1

Why study perception?

Answer 1

The process through which people:
select, organise, interpret, retrieve and respond to information.
People base their actions on the interpretation of reality that their
perceptual system provides, rather than on reality itself.

How people infer things about you

How you infer things about others

Understand and overcome biases

Question 2

What are Perceptions influenced by?

Answer 2

Past experiences that lead the perceiver to develop expectations.

Needs unconsciously influence perceptions by causing us to perceive what
we wish to perceive.

Emotions, such as anger, happiness, or fear

Perceptual defense

Question 3

____ targets are especially susceptible to interpretation and the
addition of meaning.

Answer 3

Ambiguous

Question 4

____ have a need to resolve ambiguities.

Answer 4

Perceivers

Question 5

What is the most important effect that a situation can have?

Answer 5

Add information to a target

Question 6

True/False the perception of a target can change even if the target and situation are the same?

Answer 6

True

Question 7

True/False

Perception shapes context

Answer 7

False. Context shapes perception

Question 8

Social Identity Theory

Answer 8

People form perceptions of
themselves based on their personal
characteristics and memberships in
social categories.

Our sense of self is composed of a
personal identity and a social
identity.

Question 9

Personal Identity is based on…?

Answer 9

Personal identity is based on our unique personal characteristics (e.g., interests).

Question 10

Social Identity is based on…?

Answer 10

Social identity is based on our perception that we belong to various social groups (e.g., gender).

Question 11

Personal and social identities help us answer the question: …???

Answer 11

“Who am I?”

Question 12

Social Identity Theory:

What are “prototypes”?

Answer 12

We perceive ourselves and
others as embodying the most
typical attributes of a category
or what are called “prototypes.”

Question 13

Social Identity Theory:

What is one way we form perceptions of others?

Answer 13

We also form perceptions of
others based on their
membership in social categories.

Question 14

Social Identity Theory:

Social identities are ___
and ___.

Answer 14

Social identities are relational

and comparative.

Question 15

Social Identity Theory:

Is there a tendency for us to treat members of our own social categories differently?

Answer 15

Yes!

People tend to perceive
members of their own social
categories in more positive and
favourable ways

Question 16

The impressions we form of others are

susceptible to a number of perceptual biases…name some!

Answer 16

Primacy (relying on the first thing you have seen) and Recency (only the latest thing counts, your only as good as your last work) effects

Reliance on central traits

Projection/ Similar to me effect

Leniency

Harshness

Central tendency

Halo effect (one word or trait is used overarchingly)

Implicit personality theories

Stereotyping

Question 17

Implicit Personality Theory

Answer 17

People have “implicit” theories about which characteristics
go together

Physical characteristics

or Personality

E.g., hair colour & intelligence “dumb blonde” theory (Movie “Legally blonde”)

E.g., attractiveness & income (r =.13, Judge et al 2009)

Personality characteristics

E.g., extraverts are more agreeable

Social Groups & characteristics

E.g., men are smarter….Stereotypes are a special type of implicit theories

Question 18

Stereotype

Answer 18

Tendency to generalize about people in a social category and ignore variations
among them.

Social category is the main distinguisher: religion, job, location, family role

Distinguish some category of people

Assume individuals in this category have certain traits

Perceive everyone in category possesses these traits

Question 19

Fundamental Attribution Error

Answer 19

The tendency to overemphasize dispositional explanations for behaviour at the
expense of situational explanations.

over estimate the influence of others’ personality

underestimate situational factors…..

fail to realize that observed behaviour is distinctive to a particular situation.

Question 20

Selective Perception

Answer 20

Any characteristic that makes a person, object, or event stand out will increase the
probability that it will be perceived.

Since we can’t observe everything going on around us, we engage in selective
perception.

Question 21

Actor -Oberver effect

Answer 21

The propensity for actors and observers to view the causes of the actor s behaviour
differently.

Actors are prone to attribute much of their own behaviour to situational factors while
observers are more likely to invoke dispositional causes.

Why are actors prone to attribute much of their own behaviour to situational causes?

Question 22

Self-serving bias

Answer 22

We think we’re better than average, bad things are all situational, good things are all personal ability.

Optimistic about the future, think we have unique talents

Question 23

What are some techniques to minimize errors in perception

Answer 23

Increase personal interaction

• -focus on unique attributes of individuals
• -validate perceptions rather than rush to your judgements.

Identify and confront your stereotypes
–Don’t be defensive about them.

Evaluate people based on objective factors

Avoid making rash judgments

Decreases Discrimination

Question 24

Descrimination

Answer 24

“… a distinction, exclusion or preference based on one of the prohibited
grounds that has the effect of nullifying or impairing the right of a person to
full and equal recognition and exercise of his or her human rights and
freedoms.”

Question 25

What are the two types of descrimination

Answer 25

Intentional
and
Unintentional
Discrimination

Question 26

Intentional Discrimination

Answer 26

• direct
• differential or
unequal treatment
• indirect (3 rd party)
• by association

Question 27

Unintentional Discrimination

Answer 27

• constructive or
systemic discrimination
• embedded in policies
with adverse impact
on specific groups

Question 28

Give examples of Intentional Discrimination in the workplace

Answer 28

Sexual harassment
Discriminatory policies or practices
Intimidation
Mockery and insults
Exclusion
Inclusivity

Question 29

Give examples of Intentional Discrimination in the workplace

Answer 29

min height
min weight
discriminiroty culture
promotions based exclusively on experience in an environment that historically was discriminatory

Question 30

Bona Fide Occupational Requirement (BFOR)

Answer 30

Justified reason for discrimination based on business necessity (safe and efficient operations)

ex. vision standards for bus driver

Question 31

Reasonable accomodation

Answer 31

Requirement for Reasonable Accommodation
- Adjustment of employment policies/practices so that no individual is denied benefits or is
disadvantaged
- Based on prohibited grounds in human rights legislation
–E.G. Work station redesign for wheelchair

Undue Hardship
- financial costs make accommodation impossible