Chapter 3: Perception

1. Chapter 3: Perception • What is perception? • The process by which you filter and interpret what your senses tell you so you can create a meaningful picture of the world. • Why do people have different perceptions? • Physical differences, past experiences/background, present feelings/circumstances • How does perception affect communication? • Most people have shared or in-common meanings

2. Perception All human beings are born with the ability to perceive things or beings in our environment. How we process this input, organize it into meaning & concepts, & describe it to one another, is learned. When faced with something new, we have a ‘gut response’ to it based on prior knowledge or experience. Only with time & practice do we learn to consider other aspects of what we perceive. This is especially true of our perceptions of people that are unfamiliar to us or places where we have never been.

3. Perception Fill in the blanks with your perception about the following types of people: • Old people are… • Seniors in high school are… • Basketball players are… • Mothers are… • Boys/Girls at my school are… • Cheerleaders are… • Football players are… • Teachers are…

4. Richard Cory Whenever Richard Cory went downtown We people on the pavement looked at him He was a gentleman from sole to crown Clean-favored and imperially slim And he was always quietly arrayed He was always human when he talked But he still flustered pulses when he said, “Good morning!” And he glittered when he walked And he was rich, yes, richer than a king And admirably schooled in every grace In time we thought that he was everything To make us wish that we were in his place

5. Richard Cory….continued So on he worked, and waited for the night And went without the meat and cursed the break And Richard Cory, on a clam summer night, Went home and put a bullet through his head What was the townsfolk’s perception of Richard Cory? What was his perception of himself? What lesson does this poem teach us about perception?

6. Perception Activity You will first look quickly at a picture & write down a ‘gut’ response: three words that express your initial feelings and thoughts Next you will look at the picture longer & write down your interpretation of what is going on in a complete sentence. You will then have a chance to discuss this with two partners. As a team, write down one objective sentence that completely describes what you see, but with no value words or assumptions.

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26. Perception Activity Let’s look at your interpretations Let’s hear your gut responses Let’s look at your objective sentences

27. Optical Illusions

43. CONCLUSION: • Recognize your gut response – 80% are negative to neutral • Take time to observe and reflect on what you see • Expose yourself to new cultures and people • Travel or read a lot about others’ lives • Eliminate assumptions and stereotypes • Sometimes, your view depends on how far away from the scene you are