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In the organizational context, our perception affects how we communicate among ourselves. Some
factors such as those shown below may get in the way of understanding the truth within a message;
thus, affecting our behaviors:

 Stereotype, Prejudice, Discrimination, Selective Perception, Projection, Halo Effect,

Tokenism, and Intersectionality

Select three factors from the list and write an essay as to how your attitudes, perceptions, and
behaviors are affected positively or negatively by them in a personal and organizational context.
Back up with the latest research available.

UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE

Organizational Theory and Behavior

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Perception is the organization, identification, and interpretation of information or an environment,

(Schacter, Gilbert, & Wegner, 2011). Attitude influences perception formation, such that where there is a

positive attitude in life and organizations positivity is perceived and vice versa in the case of negative

attitudes. This paper serves to address the following factors; Stereotypes, Discrimination, and the Halo

Effect and how they affect behavior, attitude and perception positively and negatively in a personal and

organizational context.

Stereotype

A stereotype is a belief about the characteristics, attributes, and behaviors of members of certain groups,

(Hilton and Hippel ,1996). Stereotypes are developed based on assumptions about elements such as

gender, age, culture, and ethnicity. Stereotypes enable an individual to respond fast to similar situations

that they have experienced before and can simplify our social interaction by reducing the need of thinking

of other's behaviors and attitudes. However, the negativity that comes with stereotypes is that it makes an

individual generalize differences between people. The stereotype in the organization spreads fear among

employees making them feel unappreciated and not admirable as well as negative performance at work

and job dissatisfaction. A continuous stereotype can cause stereotype threat, for example, when women

were reminded of the stereotype that they are poor at math, and they performed more poorly on math tests

than when they were not reminded of the stereotype, (Spencer, Steele, and Quinn 1999). A stereotype can

be avoided if we stop making snap judgments about others, as well as developing empathy for others

while educating ourselves about different cultures and groups.

Discrimination

The unjustifiable negative behavior towards a group or its members is defined as discrimination (Correll

et al. 2010). Discrimination, takes several other important forms (e.g., unfair promotion and demotion
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practices, firing, harassment) and forms that predominate official discrimination claims and that happen,

for the most part, after hiring occurs (EEOC 2019). Discrimination has very grave consequences for

minority groups and stigmatized individuals as the disadvantage experienced by any one group in any one

generation can have a multiplier effect on intergenerational disadvantage across domains, situations, and

group memberships. Mental well-being is affected the most in discriminated individuals and they may

experience anxiety, (Pascoe and Richman, 2009). Discrimination in an organization may cause low job

satisfaction, reduced commitment, reduced job performance, and failure to have to help behavior,

(Nielsen and Einarsen, 2012).

Halo Effect

The halo effect refers to a bias whereby the perception of a positive trait in a person or product positively

influences further judgments about traits of that person, (Wade & DiMaria, 2003). The halo effect can

have shifting and biased effects and may contain discrimination or stereotyping positively or negatively

and can influence perceptions of others in work settings. Supervisors may rate employees based on the

perception of a single mistake they made rather than the whole of their performance and contribution. The

halo effect takes hold of our decision-making, hindering our ability to think about other peoples’ traits.

With the Halo Effect, one may judge others unfairly and miss out on opportunities that could have been

available. Developing two different perceptions of someone when we first meet them, will lead to one be

able to associate with one perception more than the other as one gets to know the person.

In conclusion, human perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors can be affected negatively and positively by

various factors. Thus, as individuals, we must have an independent personality to make unbiased

decisions, regardless of the opinions of others. This can also be practiced in organizations as well.
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References

Correll, J., Judd, C.M., Park, B. and Wittenbrink, B. (2010). 'Measuring prejudice, stereotypes and
discrimination'. In J.F. Dovidio, M. Hewstone, P. Glick and V.M. Esses (eds.), The Sage Handbook
of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) . 2019. “Bases by Issue, FY 2010 – FY 2017.Retrieved
September 12, 2021. https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/bases_by_issue.cfm.

Hilton, J. L., & von Hippel, W. (1996). Stereotypes. Annual Review of Psychology, 47, 237–271.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.47.1.237

Nielsen, M. B., and Einarsen, S. (2012). Outcomes of exposure to workplace bullying: a meta-analytic
review. Work Stress 26, 309–332. doi: 10.1080/02678373.2012.734709

Pascoe, E. A., and Richman, L. S. (2009). Perceived discrimination and health: a meta-analytic review.
Psychol. Bull. 135, 531–554. doi: 10.1037/a0016059

Schacter DL, Gilbert DT, Wegner DM. Psychology (2nd Edition). New York: Worth; 2011.

Spencer, S. J., Steele, C. M., & Quinn, D. M. (1999). Stereotype threat and women's math performance.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 35(1), 4–28. https://doi.org/10.1006/jesp.1998.1373

Wade, T.J., DiMaria, C. (2003). Weight Halo Effects: Individual Differences in Perceived Life Success as a
Function of Women’s Race and Weight. Sex Roles 48, 461–465.
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023582629538