The Role of Perception in the Decision Making Process
According to Robbins, S. (2005) “Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment”. The role of perception in the decision-making process goes beyond the five senses, touch, sight, smell, hearing, and taste. The representation of perception in decision-making is based on a person’s internal understanding and personal analysis of environmental observations combined with past experiences. Consequently, perception varies from one individual to the next.
Many factors can influence or shape a person’s perception during the decision-making process. Robbins, S. (2005) identifies three types of aspects that manipulate perception:
1.) Factors in the Perceiver: Personal Characteristics
• Attitudes: feelings, beliefs or behavioral tendencies towards specific people, ideas, objects etc.
• Personality: individual behaviors, temperament, emotions or state of mind.
• Motives: reasoning toward problem-solving or achieving a goal
• Interests: selective concentration on personal likes or dislikes
• Experience: knowledge gained from past involvements or exposure.
• Expectations: what is hoped to be achieved.
2.) Factors in the Target: Observed Characteristics
• Novelty: uniqueness.
• Motion
• Sounds
• Size
• Background
• Proximity
• Similarity
3.) Factors in the Situation:
• Time
• ...