Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Chapter Outline
Perception Defined
Factors Influencing Perception
Perceptual Errors
Why Do Perception and Judgment Matter?
Personality
Emotions

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Perception, Personality, and Emotions
What is perception?
What causes people to have different perceptions of the same situation?
Can people be mistaken in their perceptions?
Does perception really affect outcomes?
What is personality and how does it affect behaviour?
Can emotions help or get in the way when dealing with others?

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Perception
What Is Perception?
Why Is It Important?

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Why We Study Perceptions
To better understand
We don’t see reality. We interpret
The attribution process guides our behaviour,

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Factors that Influence Perception
Perception
The
T
arget
• Novelty
• Motion
• Sounds
• Size
• Background
• P
r
oximity
The Perceiver
• Attitudes
• Motives
• Interests
• Experience
• Expectations
The Situation
• Time
•
W
ork setting
• Social setting

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Perceptual Errors
Attribution Theory
Selective Perception
Halo Effect
Contrast Effects
Projection
Stereotyping

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Attribution Theory
When individuals observe behaviour, they attempt to determine whether it is internally or externally caused.
Distinctiveness
Consensus
Consistency

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Attribution Theory
Fundamental Attribution Error
The tendency to underestimate external factors.
Self-Serving Bias
The tendency to attribute one’s successes to internal factors.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Perceptual Errors
Selective Perception
People selectively interpret.
Halo Effect
Drawing a general impression
Contrast Effects
A person’s evaluation

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Perceptual Errors
Projection
Attributing one’s own characteristics
Stereotyping
Judging someone
Prejudice
An unfounded dislike

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Why Do Perceptions and Judgment Matter?
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
A concept that proposes a person will behave in ways consistent with how he or she is perceived by others.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Personality
The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts
and interacts with others.
Personality Determinants
Heredity
Environmental Factors
Situational Conditions
Personality Traits
Enduring characteristics that describe an individual’s behaviour.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The Big Five Model

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Personality test to determine how people usually act or feel in particular situations.
Classifications:
Extroverted (E) or Introverted (I)
Sensing (S) or Intuitive (N)
Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)
Perceiving (P) or Judging (J)
Combined to form types, for example:
ESTP
INTJ

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
The Big Five Model
Classifications
Extraversion
friendly, outgoing
spend a lot of time maintaining and enjoying
Agreeableness
Highly agreeable = value harmony more
Low agreeable = focus more on their own needs
Conscientiousness
Highly conscientious = pursues fewer goals,
Low conscientious = tend to be more easily distracted

The Big Five Model
Emotional Stability
Positive emotional stability = calm, enthusiastic
Negative emotional stability = nervous, depressed,
Openness to Experience
Extremely open = fascinated by novelty
Not open = appear more conventional

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Big Five Personality Factors

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Major Personality Attributes Influencing OB
Locus of Control
Machiavellianism
Self-Esteem
Self-Monitoring
Risk-Taking
Type A Personality
Type B Personality
Proactive Personality

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Locus of Control
The degree to which people believe they are in control of their own fate.
Internals
Individuals who believe that they control what happens to them.
Externals
Individuals who believe that what happens to them is controlled by outside forces such as luck or chance.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Machiavellianism
Degree to which an individual is pragmatic, maintains emotional distance, and believes that ends can justify means.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Self-Esteem
Individuals’ degree of liking or disliking of themselves.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Self-Monitoring
A personality trait that measures an individual’s ability to adjust behaviour to external situational factors.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Risk-Taking
Refers to a person’s willingness to take chances or risks.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Type A Personality
Moves,
Impatient
Multitasks
Dislikes leisure
Obsessed with numbers

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Type B Personality
Never suffers
Doesn’t need to display
Plays for fun
Can relax

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Proactive Personality
A person who identifies opportunities, shows initiative, takes action, and perseveres until meaningful change occurs.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
What Are Emotions?
Two related terms:
Emotions
Intense feelings
Moods
less intense than emotions

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Choosing Emotions: Emotional Labour
When an employee expresses organizationally- desired emotions during interpersonal interactions.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Emotional Intelligence
Noncognitive skills, capabilities, and competencies that influence a person's ability to interact with others.
Five dimensions
Self-awareness
Self-management
Self-motivation
Empathy
Social skills

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Negative Workplace Emotions
Negative emotions can lead to negative workplace behaviours:
Production
Property
Political
Personal aggression

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Summary and Implications
What is perception?
Perception is the process by which individuals organize and interpret their impressions in order to give meaning to their environment.
What causes people to have different perceptions of the same situation?
Perceptions are affected by factors in the perceiver, in the object or target being perceived, and in the context or situation.

Chapter 2, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 2-
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada
Summary and Implications
Can people be mistaken in their perceptions?
Shortcuts, such as attribution theory, selective perception, halo effect, contrast effects, projection, and stereotyping are helpful and even necessary, but can and do get us in trouble.
Does perception really affect outcomes?
Perceptions often affect productivity more than the situation does.