Perception

Perception refers to the interpretation of the

sensory data. It is a process through which the
information from outside environment is selected,
received, organized and interpreted to make it
meaningful. This input of meaningful information
results in decisions and actions.

• Perception is primarily an individual process

so that different people may perceive an
identical situation differently.
• People behave on the basis of what they
perceive reality to be and not necessarily as
what reality is.

Major Influences on the Perception Process

Characteristics of the
Perceiver
• Needs
• Values
• Experiences
• Attitudes

Characteristics of the Perception

Perceived  Overall
• Appearance Understanding
• Communication of Perception
• Behaviour

Characteristics of the
situation
• Physical Location
• Social setting
• Organizational setting
 Perceptual organization
Perceptual Organization is the process by which
we group outside stimuli into recognizable and
identifiable patterns and whole objects.

 Factors which contribute to Perceptual Organization:

1. Figure – Ground

The figure – ground principle simply means that

we tend to be attentive to such perceived objects
that stand out against a background.
2. Perceptual Grouping

Perceptual grouping identifies our tendency to

group several individual stimuli into a
meaningful and recognizable pattern.

Factors of Perceptual Grouping

a) Continuity: - It relates to the tendency
to perceive objects as continuous patterns.
b) Closure: - It is the tendency to perceive
objects as a whole, even when some parts
of the objects are missing.
c) Proximity: - The principle of proximity
states that a group of objects or people who
are physically close to each other may be
perceived as related to each other so that
they stand out as one unit.
 d) Similarity: - The principle of similarity
states that the greater the similarity among
the objects or people, the greater the
tendency to perceive them as a common
group.
Perceptual Selectivity
It refers to the tendency to select certain objects from
the surrounding for attention such that these objects
are consistent with our existent beliefs, values and
needs.
Processes that enhance selectivity: -
• Only strong, bright or loud stimuli
activate our senses.
• Our ability to tune out certain stimuli to
which we have been continuously
exposed (known as Sensory Adaptation)

Factors influencing the process of stimuli selection:

Factors of Stimuli Selection

External Factors Internal Factor

• Size • Learning and

• Intensity perception
• Contrast • Motivation
• Repetition and
• Movement perception
• Novelty
• Familiarity
• Order
 Barriers to Perceptual Accuracy

A. Stereotyping: - We often tend to classify

people and events into already known or
perceived general categories.
a. Sex role stereotype
b. Age stereotypes
B. Halo effect: - It refers to the tendency of
judging a person entirely on the basis of a single
trait that may be favourable or unfavourable.

C. Expectancy: - It is a tendency to perceive

people, objects or events on the basis of what we
expected them to be in the first place. It is also
called as “ Pygmallion effect”.

This phenomenon is also rightly remarked as

“SELF- FULFILLING PROPHECY”

D. Perceptual Defense is the mental process

by which we tend to protect ourselves from such
objects, situations or stimuli that are emotionally
disturbing or perceptually threatening.

E. Projection: - It refers to the tendency of

people to see their own traits in other people, i.e.
they project their own characteristics into others.