PSYCH 338 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Hierarchical Organization, Job Performance, Performance Appraisal

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH 338
• Professor: Franki Kung

Document Summary

Perception: the process of interpreting the messages of our senses to provide order and meaning to the environment. Perception helps sort out and organize the complex and varied input perceived by our senses. People frequently base their actions on the interpretation of reality that their perceptual system provides, rather than on reality itself. Some of the most important perceptions that influence organization behavior are the perceptions that organizational members have of each other. Perception has three components: the perceiver, a target that is being perceived, and some situational context in which the perception is occurring. Each of these components influences the perceiver"s impression or interpretation of the target. The perceiver"s experience, needs, and emotions can affect his or her perceptions of a target. One of the most important characteristics of the perceiver that influences his or her impressions of a target is experience past experiences lead the perceive to develop expectations, and these expectations affect current perceptions.