40 Part 1 Basic Communication ProcessesUnfortunately, we are not completely rational in how we make attribu-
tions. The fundamental attribution error is a bias we have that causes us to
overemphasize internal causes and underestimate external causes of behaviors
we observe in others (McLeod, Detenber, & Eveland, 2001; Ross & Nisbett,
1991). (For example, we might assume that “Mark failed the midterm because
he was too lazy to study.”) The error works in the opposite way when we make
attributions about ourselves. Owing to the self-serving bias, we usually attri-
bute our own successes to internal factors (“I got an ‘A’ because I’m smart”)
and attribute our failures to external effects (“I failed the midterm because my
professor stinks”).Improving Your Perceptions
Making accurate perceptions can be challenging. For example, in the classic
basketball film Hoosiers, Gene Hackman plays Hickory High basketball coach
Norman Dale. Dale’s small-town players are intimidated by the cavernous arena
where they’ll be playing for the Indiana state championship. Though they know
the court is regulation size, it looks enormous to them. Dale uses a tape measure
to confirm the height of the basket and the distance from the foul line. Only
then do they believe that the court is the same size as the one they play on in
their gym. This restores their confidence.
The following suggestions can help you improve your perception abilities
and thus become a better communicator.c Be thoughtful when you seek explanations. Look beyond the most obvious
explanation for what you observe. For example, your roommate, usually
tidy, may have left your place a mess this morning. Rather than declaring
that he is a slob, consider whether he felt ill last night or whether he needed
to rush off to an exam. Being thoughtful sometimes means just pausing to
give yourself time to evaluate. If someone’s Facebook status update offends
you, don’t comment right away. Be mindful by taking a deep breath and
thinking through your reaction so you can reduce negative perceptions and
their effects (Partnoy, 2012).
c Look beyond first impressions. Don’t rely completely on your first impres-
sions; these often lead to inaccurate conclusions. Consider Meghan, who
frequently comes off as loud when people first meet her, but her manner
springs from a love for meeting new people, so she enthusiastically asks ques-
tions while getting to know them. Hold off forming a judgment until you
can gather further perceptions.
c Question your assumptions. Don’t assume that you know what others think,
feel, or believe based on their group affiliations or a host of other cultural
factors. For example, many traditional-aged, residential college students
assume that most other college students are busy getting drunk and having
casual sex. Research shows, however, that many students are far less com-
fortable with these behaviors than they assume other students are (Reiber &
Garcia, 2010). Thinking that everyone else in your demographic believes the
opposite of you is a common perceptual error (Beiser, 2013).CONNECT
Improving your percep-
tions is helpful in many
communication situations.
In Chapter 12, you learn
how considering different
aspects of an audience’s
demographic background
can help you to target your
message specifically to
them (or know what to talk
about in the first place).