http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/09/19/ntr.

ntu184

Perception (http://study.com/academy/lesson/how-environmental-
variables-other-factors-influence-
perception.html#transcriptHeader

If you have several people observe a robbery, and then they are interviewed by the police,
even though everyone observed the very same thing, everyone's description of the event
and the people involved will be completely different. Why does this happen? In this
lesson, we will learn how our perception is influenced by many variables. Perception is a
subjective, active, and creative process in which we interpret what we sense by assigning
meaning to sensory information through which we understand ourselves and others.
Several variables influence our perception of environmental variables, our motivations,
our past experiences, culture, and daily experiences. It's no wonder we all see the same
thing differently!

The perceptual process is a sequence of steps that begins with stimuli in the environment
and ends with our interpretation of that stimulus. From that, we select unconsciously one
thing in our environment, from one of our five senses, that becomes the attended stimuli.
Let's look at three of the main environmental variables that can influence perception:
physiological, psychological, and social.

Physiological Influences
Physiological influences come from the physical environment and the ways we are
different from each other. We all receive sensory information differently, which can affect
personal relationships. Age, or the older we are, allows for greater experience and scope,
and these developmental differences shape our perceptions. Health, exhaustion, and
hunger also affect our perception and communication. Other physiological factors
influence perceptions, including biological cycles like menstrual cycles, body
temperature, alertness, stress tolerance, and even neurological factors such as ADHD and
bipolar disorder.

Psychological Influences
How we feel at the time, or our mood, can have a significant effect on how we view
people and events. If we are in a positive mood, we are more likely to view other people
and our environment positively, but if we are in a negative mood, it may affect things
negatively. Although mood may be a temporary condition, our self concept, or the way
we see and feel about ourselves, has long-term influence on how we perceive others and
their behaviors.

Social Influences
Our position in society also shapes our view of society and individual members. Our
socioeconomic level, family background, and position in the community all will influence
our perception of others. Our occupational role, perception of that role by society, and
educational background influence how we see things around us. Our gender and
relational roles, such as family members and friends, are perceived differently than
others. We also are strongly influenced by our culture and its interpretation, organization,
and negotiation. For example, if you are a female in some Arabic countries, you are
expected to wear a burka. If you are not covered, you will not only be perceived
negatively, but could find yourself in a dangerous position. However, in parts of the
United States, it is unusual to see a woman in a burka, and it might draw second looks.

Not all of our perceptions are accurate. Attribution, the process of attaching meaning to
behavior, may or may not be accurate. We don't always see things as they are because our
perception is influenced by internal and external factors. Stereotyping, or exaggerated
beliefs, may cause us to make snap judgments about others. The danger of first
impressions is that once we have made them, we tend to stick to them, and we make any
differing information fit our first impression. Renee is dealing with this in her family. She
recently married Bill. Her father didn't like Bill when he met him because he had a beard,
and Renee's father doesn't like beards because he knows people with beards who are
unkempt and lazy.

Even though Bill recently shaved his beard, Renee's father cannot get past his first
impression. Renee's father uses the confirmation bias, the process of seeking out and
organizing our impressions to support our initial opinion. Even though Bill has shaved his
beard, Renee's father has looked for other things he doesn't like about Bill to support his
original belief.