Patrol Observation Test 7

Factors which affect our perception

Personality or internal factors

Environmental or external factors

Internal Factors

Personal Characteristics

Emotional and Psychological Conditions

Experience and Education

Prejudice or Bias

Point of view

Memory

External Factors

Distance or proximity

Phenomena that may affect perception

Intensity and size

Contrast

Repetition

Movement

Similarities

Sounds

Personal Characteristics

Physical Condition

Acuity of senses

Emotional and Psychological Conditions

Reactions under stress; some senses may be sharpened due to chemical reactions in the body, some may be ineffective because of preoccupation with a single facet of the incident

Experience and education

Conditioning to certain observation experiences through learning

Prejudice or Bias

People tend to see what they want to see

Point of view

Are you dealing with observations or conclusions

Memory

Is it making sense

Distance or Proximity

The closer the event the more likely attention will be paid to it

Phenomena that may affect Perception

Lighting weather sounds

Intensity and size

louder and larger attracts more attention

Contrast

Something unusual or out of the ordinary attracts more notice

Repetition

Person or object that appears more than one time will attract more attention

Movement

Stationary object will soon appear as if it belongs and may blend in with the surrounding environment

Similarities

Noting peculiarities that the witness and person observed have in common. Scar Similar clothing

Sounds

Size perception is affected by sounds

Faulty Observations

Snap Judgments

Projection

Prejudice

Predisposition

Preoccupation

Lack of appreciation

Policing styles

Proactive

Reactive

Proactive

Acting in advance to deal with an expected difficulty

Reactive

Tending to be responsive or to react to a stimulus

What can influence criminal activity

Time of day

Day of the week

Time of year

Sports teams

Current events