2.4: Improving Perception
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- 135739
Communication and Perceptions of Others
The best way to improve your perception is to check it often. What does that mean? Since perceptions influence how we communicate, improving our perceptual accuracy is important.
1. Question the accuracy of your perception. Questioning accuracy begins by saying, " I know what I think I saw, heard, tasted, smelled, or felt, but I could be wrong. What other information should I be aware of?" By accepting the possibility that something has been overlooked, perhaps the first thought is not accurate. Be more conscious about perceiving.
2. Choose to use conscious processing as you get to know people. When you mindfully pay attention to someone, you are more likely to understand the uniqueness of him or her. Doing so can increase the accuracy of your perceptions.
3. Seek more information to verify perceptions. If your perception is based on only one or two pieces of information, try to collect additional information. The perception is tentative until more information is gained. It is OK to be unsure about your perceptions. But rather than letting your uncertainty cause you to make mistakes, talk with the person.
4. Realize that your perceptions of a person will change over time. People often base their opinions, assumptions, and behaviors on perceptions that are outdated. People change and so should our perceptions.
5. Seek clarification respectfully by perception checking. Check the accuracy of your perceptions. See if others agree with what you see, hear, and interpret.
A Perception Check is a verbal statement that reflects your understanding of another's behavior. Its the process of describing what you have seen and heard and then asking for feedback. A perception check statement consists of three parts.
1. First, describe the behavior that was observed in a non-evaluative way
2. Second, offer two different Interpretations for the behavior
3. Ask for clarification
(Verderber, Sellnow, Verderber, 2017)