WEEK4

COMM 1001: Week 4 Assignment Worksheet

(Part 1 of your Week 5 Perception Paper)

Directions: Please save the document to your own computer using the naming convention "COMMWK4Assgn+last name+first

initial" as the Submission Title. The file name identifies you and indicates to your instructor that your worksheet is available to grade.

Please fill in the answers in the boxes provided by TYPING in your answers. If you need more space than is provided, the box will

expand as you write. So, no need to worry about space. Do not write your answers in a separate document because your instructor

uses the rubric after each question to grade that section of this worksheet. You may use the rubric as a guide to make sure you

completed that question correctly. Then, please submit this worksheet to the regular Week 4 Assignment submission link in the

classroom.

Section 1. Introduction

Using the directions in the blue part of each box, write an introduction for your week 5 full paper in the boxes below. Be sure to

follow the directions in each box.

First write a sentence (or more if needed) to gradually introduce your reader to the topic of perception. Try to be creative and

original. For instance, you could tell a brief story about how perception played a role in a situation from your own life.

Perception can affect how most of us react to others or give us preconceived notion about others. I tend to base

my perception of other on how I respond to any given situation. The way I was raised, my job duties, and my

personal life all have a great impact on how I perceive others.

The second part of a proper introduction is a thesis or purpose statement. In this worksheet, we will give you

the thesis. In your paper next week, you may choose to use this thesis or write your own. A possible thesis

for this paper would be:

This paper will help me to understand how perception works through doing an analysis of what three observers

declared were their perceptions of a photograph.

Finally, write a sentence or two that previews what your three main points for this paper will be. You have already been given

the three main points. They are:

1) Explanation of the steps of the perception process.

2) Description of your observers and how their background might affect their perception of the world.

3) Analysis of the observers’ descriptions of the photo.

Here is an example of a good preview of these three main points:

In this paper, first I will explain the three step process of perception; second, I will provide a description of my three

observers complete with an explanation as to how their backgrounds might affect their perceptions of the world.

Finally, I will delve deeper into what these observers had to say about the photograph I showed them by analyzing their

perceptions.

In space below, write a preview of main points in your own words.

In this paper I will first describe the three steps to the perception process: selecting, organizing, and interpreting.

Second, a description of my three observers will help demonstrate how different backgrounds might affect

peoples’ perceptions. Finally, I will analyze what my observers said about the photograph to give you a better

understanding of how the perception process works for different people.

For instructor use only.

Section 1 Comments 15 Points Total

Did the opening clearly introduce the reader to the topic of the paper in a creative and original way? ______/5 points

Was the preview sentence clear and did it follow the correct main points and order given? ______/5 points

Were the parts of the introduction orderly and written in complete sentences? ______/5 points

Instructor Comments:

______/15 pts.

Section 2. Outline

There are a number of ways to outline a paper, and the Walden Writing Center has a page dedicated to this if you want to learn more:

http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/318.htm. Below you will be taken through a step by step process to “fill in” sections of an outline in

the boxes below. Of course most outlines won’t look like this (no boxes and no instructions on exactly what should go where), but

hopefully this will give you an idea of how an outline should look so that you can use the idea of outlining in your future p apers.

Please be sure to write in complete sentences in the designated boxes below.

Outlines will normally use Roman Numerals (I, II, III and so forth). After the numbers, letters are used (A, B, C and so forth). Basic

rules say that if you have a “I”, then you need to have a “II,” and if you have an “A,” then you must have a “B.” We will follow this

format:

I. Introduction

II. Body

III. Conclusion

So, you already have the first section, the introduction, of this outline done. Below you will “fill-in” some parts about the “body” of

the outline. The “body” refers to the majority of the paper. Be sure to follow the directions within each box.

II. Body

A. Main Point#1: Explanation of the steps of the perception process.

As described in Figure 3-1 in your textbook, explain the 3 steps of the perception process and give your own example for each

of the steps involved.

In the spaces below, please give an abbreviated version of what you might write in the full paper for this section. For instance,

you can just list the steps and give a one sentence description of your own example of each step. Remember, the boxes will

expand as you write, so you do not need to worry about using only the space provided.

Step #1:

We observe what is around us, what music may have been playing, or whether it was cold or hot in the room. This is the first step in perception, also known as selection, “focusing on some sensory stimuli rather than others” (Dobkin & Pace, 2006, p. 69). Submitting stimuli to memory will help us organize our preconception of an event.

Step #2:

Organization is the second step in perception, “Organization occurs when we place stimuli in a category or mental box to give them meaning and aid our retention” (Dobkin & Pace, 2006, p. 74). I plan to give an example of how I use organization to help me remember directions. I organize different stimuli to help me remember how to get somewhere.

Step #3:

We often interpret situations in order to give the situation meaning. “Interpretation is the stage of the perception process in which we determine the meaning of an event or interaction” (Dobkin & Pace, 2006, p. 80). When we walk into a room and there are balloons, streamers and a birthday cake, we have automatically interpreted the situation as “it’s a birthday party” based on the stimuli that is in the room.

For instructor use only.

Main Point 1 Comments 15 Points Total

Did the student provide an example for each step of perception? _____/15 points (5 points per step)

Instructor Comments:

______/15 pts.

B. Main Point #2: Description of your observers and how their background might affect their perception of the world.

In the spaces below, please list your observers and describe the following:

Their relationship to you (for example: mom, dad, friend, co-worker, etc.), their sex, their age, their occupation or work

situation, a brief description of their overall attitude in life, and any other things you think are important to know about the

person.

Then, please give a 1-2 sentence description for each person on how you think the background information you listed would

make them perceive the world in a certain way. In the full paper, you can provide more detail.

Observer #1:

Observer 1 is Kimberly. She is a co-worker as well as a friend. Kim is a 42 year old female and her profession is Site Director. Kim is what I would call a free spirit. Since Kim is such a free spirit, she seems to view the world as an opportunity to learn something new each day, but she can at times be closed minded.

Observer #2:

Observer 2 is my twin sister, Rebecca. She is a 40 year old female and she works a 911 dispatcher for a city in CA. Rebecca handles her job with great ease and always remains professional and calm when taking 911 calls. She is one of the most grounded people I know. Rebecca’s perspective on life is, “If you can’t change it, then why should I let it occupy my thoughts.” I often say Rebecca see’s things the way a man would; she looks for the solution rather than get caught up in the drama of the situation.

Observer #3:

Observer 3 is my friend Kelly. She is a 40 year old female and she owns her own vacation rental business. Kelly is also a mother to a 7 year old girl. She had been married for 15 years. She is very strong willed and doesn’t have much time for nuisances. She can become easily irritated by people who can’t make up their minds and by people who are rude.

For instructor use only.

Main Point 2 Comments 15 Points Total

Did the student give the required detail on 3 different observers? ______/15 points (5 points per

observer)

Instructor Comments:

______/15 pts.

C. Main Point #3: Analysis of the observers’ descriptions of the photo.

At the end of this worksheet is a grid called the “Perception Analysis Grid.” You can use this to help you organize your

observers’ descriptive words and use it to complete this section. It is there just as a tool to help you, you are not required to use

it.

Select one term from each category (Selecting, Organizing and Interpreting—3 terms total) listed below that you plan to

talk about in your analysis about your observers’ descriptions of the photo.

1. Please list the term you chose in each category.

2. Provide the word or phrase from at least one observer that fits with that term. Be sure to choose a different word

from a different observer in each category.

3. Then provide a full sentence explanation of how you plan to apply the term to the word or phrase from your

observer. In other words, provide a specific example.

For example (you may NOT use this example):

Salience, “big veins”

My observer #1 used the phrase “big veins” to describe the man in the photo. Observer #1 works in the field of

nursing and is required to insert IV’s regularly. Thus, I chose to use the term “salience” to describe why she used

the phrase “big veins” because her regular work with veins means the man’s big veins were “salient” to her.

In the full paper, then, you will also include the definition of the term AND give credit to the textbook for that definition.

Selecting: Choose from these terms: • salience • vividness • social learning •

Vividness: Rebecca used words/phrases like “green grass,” “tree,” “blue jeans,” “brown shirt,” “dark skin,” and “grey hair.” I plan to explain how in her job as a 911 operator she need to have people describe things vividly to her, hence why she was vivid in her own descriptions.

Organizing: Choose from these terms: • stereotype • prototype • scripts • personal construct • perception shifts •

Personal Construct: Kim used the words “contemplating” and “observant.” She is also this way and so I think she identified with the man in the photo. So, I plan to explain how because she used these words that have often been used to describe her, she was using a personal construct because she could have used opposite words.

Interpreting: Choose from these terms: • assigning attributions • biases in attributions • closure • context •

Biases in Attribution: Kelly used the word “unhappy” to describe the man in the photo. I plan to explain how Kelly often falls victim to the “fundamental attribution error” in her work which makes her unhappy. Thus, in describing the man in the photo as “unhappy,” she is actually using a “similarity bias.” These are both types of “biases in attribution” as described on page 82 of the textbook.

For instructor use only.

Main Point 3 Comments 20 Points Total

Did the student provide 3 terms and give at least a one sentence explanation of how each term

might be used in the full paper? ______/15 points (5 points per term)

Were the parts of each section in the body part of the outline orderly and written in complete sentences? ______/5 points

Instructor Comments:

______/20 pts.

III. Conclusion

First write a sentence (or more if needed) to “ease” your reader out of the overall idea of this paper on your experiment

with the photograph. In other words, let your reader know you are “closing” the paper.

In conclusion, I have written this paper to demonstrate three main concepts of perception based on three observations of one photograph.

A review of the thesis for the paper would go here. In your paper next week, you may choose to use this thesis

or write your own. A possible thesis for this paper would be:

Through writing this paper, I have come to a better understanding of how each one of us will have different

perceptions of just about anything. It really all depends on things such as our background and even our

present state of mind.

Second, write one sentence for each main point that summarizes the most important idea of that main point. This is not the

place to introduce new information.

Through explaining the process of perception, describing three observers and their backgrounds and then analyzing what they had to say about the photograph, I was able to really see how the process of perception works.

In the full paper next week, you will want to end with something memorable.

Just like the opening, you want to try to be creative and original.

So, be thinking about what you will put in the final paper next week to give it a good ending.

For instructor use only.

Section 1 Comments 5 Points Total

Did the closing ease the reader out of the paper clearly? ______/3 points

Was the review sentence clear and did it follow the correct main points and order given? ______/2 points

Instructor Comments:

______/5 pts.

Section 3. Perception Analysis Grid

This grid is not required for you to do. But you may find it helpful to fill out as you collect your observers’ descriptive

words. It will help you keep the analysis organized as you fill out main point 3 above and for when you write the full

paper next week.

DIRECTIONS: Place the descriptive terms you received from your observers in the first column. Then check off the columns

(based on the different types of perception) that you think influenced your observer to notice that aspect of the picture. Be

sure to watch the Perception Analysis Worksheet Demonstration in the Week 4 Learning Resources to help you understand

how to fill out the worksheet. The basics are that each “descriptive word” should have one item checked off in each category

(selecting, organizing and interpreting). While more than one of the terms in each category might fit the descriptive word

from your observers, choose the one term in each category that BEST fits. So, you should end up with three terms checked

off for each “descriptive word” from your observers.

Descriptive

Words

Observer 1

Selecting Organizing Interpreting

S a

lie n

c e

V iv

id n

e ss

S o

c ia

l

L e a

r n

in g

P e r so

n a

l

C o

n str

u c ts

P r o

to ty

p e s

S te

r e o

ty p

e s

S c r ip

ts

P e r c e p

tio n

S h

ifts

C o

n te

x t

C lo

su r e

A ssig

n in

g

A ttr

ib u

tio n

s

B ia

se s in

A ttr

ib u

tio n

s

Green grass X X X

tree X X X

Blue jeans X X X

Brown shirt X X X

Dark skin X X X

Grey hair X X X

At a park X X X

Working man X X X

strong X X X

healthy X X X

Descriptive

Words

Observer 2

Selecting Organizing Interpreting

S a

lie n

c e

V iv

id n

e ss

S o

c ia

l

L e a

r n

in g

P e r so

n a

l

C o

n str

u c ts

P r o

to ty

p e s

S te

r e o

ty p

e s

S c r ip

ts

P e r c e p

tio n

S h

ifts

C o

n te

x t

C lo

su r e

A ssig

n in

g

A ttr

ib u

tio n

s

B ia

se s in

A ttr

ib u

tio n

s

Contemplate

-ing

X

X

X

observant X X X

cautious X X X

African

American

X X X

strong X X X

FINAL Worksheet Grade 70 Points

Total

_____/70

points

clean X X X

Takes care of

himself

X X X

Day off work X X X

At a park X X X

Waiting for

someone

X X X

Descriptive

Words

Observer 3

Selecting Organizing Interpreting

S a

lie n

c e

V iv

id n

e ss

S o

c ia

l

L e a

r n

in g

P e r so

n a

l

C o

n str

u c ts

P r o

to ty

p e s

S te

r e o

ty p

e s

S c r ip

ts

P e r c e p

tio n

S h

ifts

C o

n te

x t

C lo

su r e

A ssig

n in

g

A ttr

ib u

tio n

s

B ia

se s in

A ttr

ib u

tio n

s

unhappy X X X

Hard day X X X

Sunny day X X X

homeless X X X

Worn clothes X X X

African

American

X X X

suspicious X X X

fit X X X

Not friendly X X X

Taking a

break

X

X X