Perception, Attribution, and Learning

1. Perception, Attribution, and Learning • Internal processes dealing with individual information retrieval, storage, recall, and use • Processes • Perception • Attribution • Learning

2. Perception Who is this....

3. Perceptual Processes • Stereotyping • Halo • Projection • Primacy and recency • Selective perception • Denial • Perceptual defense • Expectancy • Self-fulfilling prophecy

4. Stereotyping and Halo • Stereotyping • The application of a standardized impression of a (readily discernable) group of people to influence our perception of the traits or behavior of a particular individual. Basically, generalizing about many from one or a few • Halo • Allowing one characteristic of an individual to form our perception of all of that individuals’ characteristics.

5. Projection, Primacy and Selective Perception • Projection • Blaming our problems on others or attributing our feelings to other people. • Primacy and recency • First impressions count; the most recent thing you see or hear is what you remember. • Selective perception • The filtering process, including both selective attention and selective retention.

6. Denial, Perceptual Defense and Expectancy • Denial • Refusing to acknowledge or act on threatening information. • Perceptual defense • Clinging to the perceptions we have • Expectancy • Seeing what we expect to see.

7. Pygmalion, or The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy • The Pygmalion Effect refers to the phenomenon where an individual - for example, an employee - performs at a level consistent with another person’s - for example, a manager’s - expectations • Original classroom research • How? • Attribute subordinate success to their own efforts • Warmer, more supportive climate • Set higher expectations

8. I E Self E I Others Success Failure Attribution • Internal vs. external attribution • Internal: success through own abilities and efforts • External: success through luck or others’ help

9. What is Learning? • “The process by which an activity originates or is changed through reacting to an encountered situation, provided that the characteristics of the change cannot be explained on the basis of native response tendencies, maturation or temporary states, such as fatigue” POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE

10. Types of Learning • Short term vs. long-term • What is learned: • Declarative knowledge • Procedural knowledge • Cognitive strategies • Motor skills • Attitudes

11. Training Transfer • Similarity between training and work settings and tasks • Adequate opportunity to practice during training • Provide a variety of stimulus situations or settings during training to allow trainees to learn to generalize • Teach general principles

12. Evaluating Learning • Questions to ask • Did training work? • Why or why not? • Approaches to evaluation • Reaction • Learning • Behavior • Results

13. Impression Management • Self-enhancing techniques • Presenting self in favorable light • Other-enhancing techniques • Designed to win others’ approval • Flattery (honest or not…)