Perception be substantially different from objective reality. It need not be, but there is often
A process by which disagreement. For example, it's possible that all employees in firm may view it individuals organize and as a great place to work—favorable working conditions, interesting job assign- interpret their sensory mints, good pay, an understanding and responsible management—but, as most impressions in order to give of us know, it's very unusual to find such agreement. meaning to their. Why is perception important in the study of OB? Simply because people's environment. behavior is based on their perception of what reality is, not on reality itself. The world as it is perceived is the world that is beiiavioraily important.

FACTORS INFLUENCING PERCEPTION
How do we explain that individuals may look at the same thing, yet perceive it differently? A number of factors operate to shape and sometimes distort perception. These factors can reside in the perceiver, in the object or target being perceived, or in the context of the situation in which the perception is made.
THE PERCEIVER
When an individual looks at a target and attempts to interpret what he or she sees, that interpretation is heavily influenced by personal characteristics of the individual perceiver. Have you ever bought a new car and then suddenly noticed a large number of cars like yours on the road? It's unlikely that the number of such cars suddenly expanded. Rather, your own purchase has influenced your perception so that you are now more likely to notice them. This is an example of how factors related to the perceiver influence what he or she perceives. Among the more relevant personal characteristics affecting perception are attitudes, motives, interests, past experiences, and expectations.
Teri likes small classes because she enjoys asking a lot of questions of her teachers. Scott, on