If you woke up as Brad Pitt or Beyonce Knowles, how would your world change? Your perceptions would change because of your personal, social and even your physical status.
What we say, the narrative we give to describe an event, defines it, and once defined, we begin to look for reinforcement of our ideas, taking mental score. They give us an explanation for behavior, which can lead to stereotyping. Examples: Colleagues that habitually take late lunches or arrive late. It is the narrative created about events that defines those events such as differential treatment. Once defined, we tend to seek out reinforcement for those ideas. You think he's lazy? You'll look for it. You think she's arrogant? You'll look for it.You think your teacher is unfair. You'll look for it. So, we don't decide things on our own. The collective narratives define our perceptions. Does this explain mob psychology? This can work with positive reinforcement. Happy couples have different narratives, but they tell others that they have a happy marriage. Long-term happy marriages tend to blame outside forces for conflict. They shared a common narrative. But Different narratives create communication problems. Many factors help us to create narratives: Common Perceptual Tendencies
Our harsh opinions of others can lead to judgmental messages that can create communication fiascoes. Situational Factors Influencing Perception Relational Satisfaction - If you are in a good relationship, you may admire your partner's behavior. That same opinion changes when the relationship sours. Degree of Involvement - we may view our partners through "rose-colored" glasses. Researchers set a group of men to judge the performance of a group of women. The men judged women more favorably when they were promised a date with those women. Past experience - we shy away from circumstances that have burned us before. Expectations - Anticipation shapes our interpretations. Do you think that your boss disapproves of you? If so, how do you react when the boss calls you into her office?
Our perception of social roles influences our perceptions. Knowledge - You treat someone who acts aloof differently if you know that he/she has just been jilted. Self-Concept - The way we feel about ourselves influences how we interpret messages. Opposing emotions change influence our perceptions. i.e., happy or sad, insecure or secure. Perception and Culture Members within the same culture have a difficult time with perceptual differences. That is heighten by cultural differences. Even how we view talking is different. North Americans value straightforwardness and honesty. Asian cultures value silence such in nyepi. On Nyepi Day, the Hindus stay at home, but they are not supposed to listen to the radio, watch TV, speak to each other, answer telephones, or take in guests. On Nyepi eve, the Balinese make effigies of monstors to symbolize that they will get rid of evil life, to cleanse themselves, eventheir possessions in preparation for the New Year. While the Judeo-Chrisitan culture does not give special recognition to silence, they do refer to it in a special psalm. What does eye contact mean in your culture? How about western medical care versus shamanistic healers? Researchers have found that even geography effects our communication. People who live in the southern latitudes of the US were more socially isolated, had higher self-esteerm, were more likely to verbalize their thoughts and feelings and more likely to touch others. With all of the factors that can create communication problems, empathy is one skill that can help us to improve our communicaton skills. Empathy is the ability to recreate another person's perspective, to experience the world from the other's point of view.
Sympathy & Empathy Sympathy allows us to feel compassion for another's predicament. Empathy allows us to get a sense of what they feel
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