Chapter

7 Social Perception and Attribution

Social Perception and Attribution

An Information An Information ProcessingProcessing

Model of PerceptionModel of Perception Stereotypes: Stereotypes: PerceptionsPerceptions

about Groups of about Groups of PeoplePeople Self-Fulfilling Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Prophecy:

The Pygmalion EffectThe Pygmalion Effect Causal AttributionCausal Attribution

Perception: An Information Processing Model

Competing environmental

stimuli People Events Objects

Interpretation and

categorization

Stage 1

Selective Attention/Comprehensi

on

Stage 2

Encoding and Simplification

Stage 3

Storage and

Retention

Stage 4

Retrieval and Response

MemoryJudgments

and decisions

A

B

C

D

E

F

A

C

F

C

7-2Figure 7-1

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Perception

Mental and cognitive process that enables us to interpret and understand our surroundingsSelectOrganizeInterpret

1. Attention

The process of becoming consciously aware of something or someone

Attention is affected by:

ExpectationsMoodSalience

NovelBrightUnusual for the personUnusual for a person’s social categoryUnusual for people in generalExtremely positive or negativeDominant in the visual field

Perception: An Information Processing Model

Competing environmental

stimuli People Events Objects

Interpretation and

categorization

Stage 1

Selective Attention/Comprehensi

on

Stage 2

Encoding and Simplification

Stage 3

Storage and

Retention

Stage 4

Retrieval and Response

MemoryJudgments

and decisions

A

B

C

D

E

F

A

C

F

C

7-2Figure 7-1

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2. Encoding and Simplification

Cognitive category – mental structure containing a number of objects that are considered equivalentHelp make sense of environmentLimit our attention

Schema

Schema mental picture of an event or object Network of related

information Impact attention,

encoding, perception Provide context

7-3

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Perception: An Information Processing Model

Competing environmental

stimuli People Events Objects

Interpretation and

categorization

Stage 1

Selective Attention/Comprehensi

on

Stage 2

Encoding and Simplification

Stage 3

Storage and

Retention

Stage 4

Retrieval and Response

MemoryJudgments

and decisions

A

B

C

D

E

F

A

C

F

C

7-2Figure 7-1

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3. Storage and Retention

Long-term memoryTypes

EventSemantic – general knowledge about the

worldPerson

Perception: An Information Processing Model

Competing environmental

stimuli People Events Objects

Interpretation and

categorization

Stage 1

Selective Attention/Comprehensi

on

Stage 2

Encoding and Simplification

Stage 3

Storage and

Retention

Stage 4

Retrieval and Response

MemoryJudgments

and decisions

A

B

C

D

E

F

A

C

F

C

7-2Figure 7-1

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4. Retrieval and Response

Impacted by:AttentionCodingExpectations, mood, salience, etc.

Stereotypes

Stereotype is anindividual’s set of beliefsabout the characteristics of a group of people Type of schema Likely to form

inaccurate stereotypes

Little interaction Experienced conflict Enhance our own social

identity

7-8

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Characteristics of Stereotypes

Are not always negative May or may not be accurate Can lead to poor decisions and

discrimination

7-9

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Stereotyping is a Four-Step Process

1) Begins by categorizing people into groupsAttention

2) Infer that all people in a category possess similar traits or characteristics

3) Form expectations of others and interpret their behavior according to stereotypes

4) Stereotypes are maintainedOverestimate frequency of behaviorIncorrectly explaining behaviorDifferentiating group members from self

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Perceptual Errors

The tendency to evaluate people or objects by comparing them with characteristics of recently observed people or objects

Contrast effects

The tendency to remember recent information. If the information is negative, the person or object is evaluated negatively

Recency effects

The tendency to avoid all extreme judgments and rate people and objects as average or neutral

Central tendency

A personal characteristic that leads an individual to consistently evaluate other people or objects in an extremely positive fashion

Leniency

A rater forms an overall impression about an object and then uses that impression to bias ratings about the object

Halo

DescriptionPerceptual Error

7-13Table 7-2

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Sex Role Stereotypes

Belief that differing traits and abilities make women and men particularly well-suited to different rolesWomen are viewed as more emotional,

affectionate, talkative, patient, creativeMen are viewed as more aggressive,

courageous, easygoing, ambitious

More commonly stereotyped groups

AgeRaceDisability

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Self-Fulfilling Prophecy or Pygmalion Effect, is that people’s expectations or beliefs determine their behavior and performance, thus serving to make their expectations come true Pygmalion effectPygmalion effect Golem effectGolem effect

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A Model of the Self-FulfillingProphecy

Supervisorexpectancy

6

3Motivation

4

Performance

5 1

Leadership

Subordinateself-

expectancy

2

7-15Figure 7-2

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Attributions

Determinations of cause of behavior Internal External

Made by observing: Consensus Consistency Distinctiveness

Attributional Tendencies

Fundamental Attribution Bias ignoring environmental factors that affect behavior Actor-observer

effect

Self-Serving Bias taking more personal responsibility for success than failure

7-24

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