1 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

. 6S I X

Perception andPersonality inOrganizations

Perception andPerception andPersonality inPersonality inOrganizationsOrganizations

C H A P T E R

2 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

R. Madonik, Toronto Star

Toronto’s police service is

fighting to correct racial bias

and the perception of this

bias. The service is

increasing the cultural

diversity of its workforce,

and officers must attend

diversity awareness

seminars.

Toronto’s Police ServiceToronto’s Police ServiceToronto’s Police Service

3 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Attitudes andAttitudes andBehavioursBehaviours

Organization andOrganization andInterpretationInterpretation

Selective AttentionSelective Attention

Perceptual Process ModelPerceptual Process ModelPerceptual Process Model

Feeling Hearing Seeing Smelling TastingFeeling Hearing Seeing Smelling Tasting

Environmental StimuliEnvironmental Stimuli

4 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Selective AttentionSelective AttentionSelective Attention

• Characteristics of the object– size, intensity, motion, repetition, novelty

• Perceptual context

• Characteristics of the perceiver– attitudes

– perceptual defense

– expectations -- condition us to expectevents

5 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

© Corel Corp. Used with permission

Splatter Vision PerceptionSplatter Vision PerceptionSplatter Vision Perception

Fighter pilots, police

detectives, and birdwatchers use splattervision -- scanningeverything and focusingon nothing. This reducesthe chance of screeningout potentially importantinformation.

6 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

An Individual’sAn Individual’sSocial IdentitySocial Identity

ACMEACMEWidgetWidget

EmployeeEmployee

Social Identity TheorySocial Identity TheorySocial Identity Theory

Live inLive inCanadaCanada

Univ. of NewUniv. of NewBrunswickBrunswickGraduateGraduate

Employees atEmployees atother firmsother firms

People livingPeople livingin other countriesin other countries

Graduates fromGraduates fromother schoolsother schools

7 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Social Identity Theory FeaturesSocial Identity Theory FeaturesSocial Identity Theory Features

• Comparative process– define ourselves by differences with others

• Homogenization process– similar traits within a group; different traits

across groups

• Contrasting process– develop less favourable images of people in

groups other than our own

8 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Stereotyping in the WorkplaceStereotyping in the WorkplaceStereotyping in the Workplace

People are surprised to

learn that Charlotte St.

Germain is a refinery

process operator. They

stereotype operators as

rugged men, not a fifty-

something grandmother!C. Vanzella, Edmonton Sun

9 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Professors areabsent-minded

Our instructoris a professor

Our instructor isabsent-minded

The Stereotyping ProcessThe Stereotyping ProcessThe Stereotyping Process

Assign category’s traitsAssign category’s traitsto the personto the person

Assign person to categoryAssign person to categorybased on observable infobased on observable info

Develop categoriesDevelop categoriesand assign traitsand assign traits

10 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

How Accurate are Stereotypes?How Accurate are Stereotypes?How Accurate are Stereotypes?

• Some accuracy, but also distortion anderror– rarely accurate for everyone in the group

– we screen out inconsistent information

• Stereotypes are less accurate when:– little interaction with people in that group

– in conflict with members of that group

– stereotypes enhance our own social identity

11 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Attribution ProcessAttribution ProcessAttribution Process

• External Attribution– Perception that outcomes are due to

situation or fate rather than the person

• Internal Attribution– Perception that outcomes are due to

motivation/ability rather than situation orfate

12 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Rules of AttributionRules of AttributionRules of Attribution

External AttributionExternal Attribution

FrequentlyFrequently

ConsistentConsistentwith pastwith past

SeldomSeldom

Internal AttributionInternal Attribution

FrequentlyFrequently

DistinctiveDistinctivefrom otherfrom othersituationssituations

SeldomSeldom

SeldomSeldom

ConsensusConsensus(Other people(Other people

are similar)are similar)

FrequentlyFrequently

13 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Attribution ErrorsAttribution ErrorsAttribution Errors

• Fundamental Attribution Error– attributing own actions to external factors

and other’s actions to internal factors

• Self-Serving Bias– attributing our successes to internal

factors and our failures to external factors

14 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy CycleSelf-Fulfilling Prophecy CycleSelf-Fulfilling Prophecy Cycle

SupervisorSupervisorformsforms

expectationsexpectations

ExpectationsExpectationsaffect supervisor’saffect supervisor’s

behaviourbehaviour

Supervisor’sSupervisor’sbehaviour affectsbehaviour affects

employeeemployee

Employee’sEmployee’sbehaviour matchesbehaviour matches

expectationsexpectations

15 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Other Perceptual ErrorsOther Perceptual ErrorsOther Perceptual Errors

• Primacy– first impressions

• Recency– most recent information dominates

perceptions

• Halo– one trait forms a general impression

• Projection– believing other people are similar to you

16 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Diversity Management ProgramsDiversity Management ProgramsDiversity Management Programs

• Focuses on awareness, understanding,and appreciation

• Sensitizes people about stereotypesand prejudices

• Dispels myths about people fromdifferent backgrounds

• Doesn’t try to correct deep-rootedprejudice

17 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

ImprovingImprovingPerceptualPerceptualAccuracyAccuracy

DiversityDiversityManagementManagement

EmpathizeEmpathizeWith OthersWith Others

PostponePostponeImpressionImpressionFormationFormation

KnowKnowYourselfYourself

CompareComparePerceptionsPerceptionsWith OthersWith Others

Improving Perceptual AccuracyImproving Perceptual AccuracyImproving Perceptual Accuracy

18 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Known to Self Unknown to Self

Knownto Others

Unknownto Others

OpenOpenAreaArea BlindBlind

AreaArea

UnknownUnknownAreaArea

HiddenHiddenAreaArea

Know Yourself (Johari Window)Know Yourself (Johari Window)Know Yourself (Johari Window)

OpenOpenAreaArea

BlindBlindAreaArea

HiddenHiddenAreaArea

UnknownUnknownAreaArea

DisclosureDisclosure

FeedbackFeedback

19 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Defining PersonalityDefining PersonalityDefining Personality

Relatively stable pattern of

behaviours and consistent

internal states that explain a

person's behavioural tendencies

20 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Outgoing, talkative

Courteous, empathic

Caring, dependable

Poised, secure

Sensitive, flexible

Big Five Personality DimensionsBig Five Personality DimensionsBig Five Personality Dimensions

ExtroversionExtroversion

AgreeablenessAgreeableness

ConscientiousnessConscientiousness

Emotional StabilityEmotional Stability

Openness to ExperienceOpenness to Experience

21 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Courtesy of Thompson Doyle Hennessey & Everest

Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorMyers-Briggs Type IndicatorMyers-Briggs Type Indicator

During their retreat inMaine, employees atThompson DoyleHennessey & Everestcompleted the Myers-BriggsType Indicator and learnedhow their personalities canhelp them understand eachother more effectively.

22 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Courtesy of Thompson Doyle Hennessey & Everest

Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorMyers-Briggs Type IndicatorMyers-Briggs Type Indicator

• Extroversion versusintroversion

• Sensing versusintuition

• Thinking versusfeeling

• Judging versusperceiving

23 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Locus of Control and Self-MonitoringLocus of Control and Self-MonitoringLocus of Control and Self-Monitoring

• Locus of control– Internals believe in their effort and ability

– Externals believe events are mainly due toexternal causes

• Self-monitoring personality– Sensitivity to situational cues, and ability to

adapt your behaviour to that situation

24 © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2001McGraw-Hill Ryerson

. 6S I X

Perception andPersonality inOrganizations

Perception andPerception andPersonality inPersonality inOrganizationsOrganizations

C H A P T E R