By perception , we mean the process by which one screens, selects, organizes, and interprets stimuli to give them meaning. Perception does not necessarily lead to an accurate portrait of the environment, but rather to a unique portrait, influenced by the needs, desires, values, and disposition of the perceiver.

As described by Kretch and associates, 2 an individual’s perception of a given situation is not a photographic representation of the physical world; it is a partial, personal construction in which certain objects… This process is called perceptual selectivity .

Attitude — A predisposition to respond in a favorable or unfavorable way to objects or persons in one’s environment. Perception — The process by which one screens, selects, organizes, and interprets stimuli to give them meaning. Perceptual selectivity — Refers to the process by which individuals select objects in the environment for attention. Cognitive consistency — The need for behavioral justification to ensure that a person’s behaviors are consistent with their attitudes toward an event.