The Role of Perception Essay Example

discrepancies can result in conflicts, particularly in professional environments where even small disagreements may breed animosity towards individuals harboring contrasting opinions.

The third aspect is organizing the way various things are viewed to create a successful working environment. This involves prioritizing the things that are most disagreed upon and working on them first. As one goes through the list, their perspective will change and hopefully those around them will as well. It is important to consider how different perspectives will impact the behavior of an organization (Research Girl, 2008).

The behavior and functioning of an organization can be significantly influenced by the presence of a superior individual in the workplace. Managers, as responsible decision-makers, bear the responsibility of determining what is best for the business. As a result, each decision they make has consequences that ultimately impact the entire company. When poor choices are made, both the products offered and employees within the organization can experience negative effects.

The perception of an individual can be affected by different factors such as time, work settings, and social settings. It is clear that people's perception of their work situation has a bigger influence on their productivity than the actual situation itself. This awareness emphasizes the emergence of conflicts within organizations due to differing perspectives, which often have irreversible consequences. The utilization of perceptive "shortcuts" in evaluating others can have positive and negative effects, particularly when not recognized or dealt with promptly. In an article published on AssociatedContent, Valerie presents multiple instances of favorable outcomes resulting from these perceptive "shortcuts".

According to Com (2007), there are both positive and negative effects of using shortcuts when judging others. One advantage is that individuals

can demonstrate respect based on appearance, age, gender, and nationality when encountering someone. For instance, if one comes across a priest, they may assume that the priest would find profanity, using God's name in vain, and sexual behavior disrespectful. Accordingly, they would exercise caution and refrain from engaging in such behaviors in the presence of a priest. Conversely, stereotyping is mentioned as one of the adverse consequences of employing shortcuts in an article on AssociatedContent.com (2007). This practice can also result in the halo effect, selective perception, contrast effect, and projection.

Stereotyping, which involves making judgments about someone based on their group membership, can be observed when a construction manager refuses to hire a woman for physically demanding work because they believe that all women are incapable of handling it. The halo effect occurs when a manager evaluates an individual's behavior solely based on one characteristic. This can be seen when a manager hires only attractive people, assuming that they will be more productive. On the other hand, the contrast effect happens when judgments are made by comparing an individual to others. For example, a manager decides to terminate an employee because he is the only one who dresses differently compared to everyone else.

Attributing a characteristic of one individual to a larger group is known as projection. Many people question the process of determining professional decisions that individuals are expected to adhere to in their workplace environment. In an article on VirtualSalt.com by Robert Harris (July 1998), two main approaches to decision-making within an organization are explored: the authoritarian method and the group method.

These approaches have the ability to determine several factors. One factor that can

be determined is how decisions will impact individuals in the workplace. If the authoritarian method is employed, then the decisions will tend to be more unilateral, as opposed to decisions made from multiple perspectives that the "group method" entails. In the authoritarian method, the manager gathers knowledge and makes the decision, but must subsequently explain it to the group and gain their acceptance, according to Robert Harris (July, 1998).

Harris (July, 1998) suggests that the "group method" involves sharing ideas and analyses, and reaching a consensus on implementation. Research indicates that the group often holds different values, feelings, and reactions than what the manager assumes. This highlights the group's unique understanding of its own preferences and tastes.

In everyday life, individuals often feel pressured to act according to others' perceptions, even if it contradicts their own morals and ethics. Caruso (2007) explains that people's perceptions can significantly shape the ethical and moral standards of those around them. Various studies consistently demonstrate that individuals have stronger emotional responses towards future events compared to past events. These emotional reactions can influence fairness judgments and affect moral reactions towards one's own or others' ethical behaviors. The temporal framing of events plays a crucial role in determining permission for actions with ethical implications, which may be more challenging to attain compared to forgiveness.

Reflecting on past decisions can help mitigate the negative consequences of evaluating different courses of action in the future. By adopting a more rational and thoughtful mindset, looking back on our choices can lead to more balanced moral assessments and wiser decision-making across various domains. It's important to remember that all individuals' actions are subject to scrutiny from a

wide audience, with some opinions considered right while others are deemed wrong. However, it is crucial not to hastily label differing perspectives as terrible or unfair without first gaining a comprehensive understanding of each viewpoint.

As we mature, we are reminded to be mindful of our surroundings and treat others with the same respect we desire for ourselves. To avoid being judged based on our differences, we should abstain from passing judgment onto those who may appear dissimilar from us.

Reference

• Page Caruso, Eugene Matthew (2007) Damned if you do, but not if you did: How temporal perspective shapes perceptions of fairness, ethics, and morality.
• Ph. D. dissertation, Harvard University, United States – Massachusetts.Retrieved September 29, 2008, from Dissertations ; Theses: Full Text database. (Publication No. AAT 3264921).
• Girl, Research (September 18, 2008). The Role of Perception in the Decision Making Process. Associated Content, Retrieved September 29, 2008, from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/1013558/the_role_of_perception_ in_the_decision.
• html Harris, Robert (July, 1998). Introduction to Decision Making. Retrieved September 29, 2008, from Virtual Salt Web site: http://www. virtualsalt.

com/crebook5.

Valerie (November 1, 2007).
Perception and Decision Making. Associated Content, Retrieved September 29, 2008.
Perception and the Perpetual

Process.

The information in this paragraph was retrieved from the website About.com on September 29, 2008. The website address is http://psychology.about.com/od/sensationandperception/ss/perceptproc.