An in-depth analysis of perceptual thoughts and biases

Beyond the normal rant and raves of the week, I was intrigued by perceptual factors that are self-induced and often times unintentionally reactive behavior. All individuals, no matter the race, sex, age, or religion, have a personal bias based upon the world and experiences that surround our decision-making abilities every day. These perceptions and stereotypes can be categorized into one of four behaviors that include Halo Effect; Primacy Effect; Recency Effect; or False-Consensus Effect. I will identify each effect in-depth below.

The Halo Effect model occurs when someone develops an impression of another individual based upon a characteristic, whether physical, mental, emotional, that distorts and clouds our perception of that person. For example, if you work with another employee that generally stays late and works excessive hours, naturally you may consider that he or she is a “workhorse.” Conversely, you may recall a classmate that is consistently taking frequent smoke breaks. When they excuse themselves early from a group session, you may think they are leaving to smoke when really they were searching for a book.

The Primacy Effect switches gears and is categorized as our natural tendency to form an opinion of people on the basis of first impressions. For example, when you are granted an interview with a local employer, most individuals would want to “Dress for Success” and show up on time. If you are tardy or wear blue jeans and a t-shirt to your interview, the boss may think you are not prepared for the position. The problems with most first impressions, specifically the negative first impressions, are the difficult nature to change someone’s burned thought of you in their mind.

The Recency Effect is a situation where the most recent information stands frontline center of our immediate perceptions. This is a common situation specifically when you are approaching an annual performance review with your boss. If you recently lost a large acquisition for a highly reputable client, this could undoubtedly impact your boss’ thought perceptions and likelihood of receiving a raise even if you promoted an increase of sales in the prior 6-month time frame. The key here is rescheduling your plans and trying to revive your career...quickly!!

The False-Consensus Effect is a perceptual error where we overestimate the extent that others may have similarities, characteristics, and beliefs that are similar to our own. This is quite commonly referred to as “everyone else does it” to reinforce our self-concepts or habits that encourage continuation of those thoughts. I often relate this perception to excessive binge drinking in college because of the belief that most other students "were doing it" and approve of the partying phase. In reality, not every college student binge drinks, rather, a host of students may disapprove of the actions. Other examples include fashion trends or unethical behavior that includes intimidation or bullying.