Changing Perspectives
Changing Perspective
Linda Collazo
PSY/220
May 29, 2011
Abigail McNeely
Changing Perspective
People, especially diverse people of contemporary times commonly look at other people, situations, or life events with different perspectives. Sometimes looking at other people, situations, and life events with different perspectives cause people to make snap judgments without factual knowledge. Contributors such as personal beliefs, religion, culture, mood, personality, and relative situations can influence an interpretation of a person or event, cause a snap judgment, or possibly change another perspective. Other contributors that add influence to the common influences of perspectives and judgments are environments and life satisfaction. Consider the following scenario that two people may view differently: An elderly Caucasian women and man, for example, rent apartments in a small Caucasian village. An interracial (Black and White) couple with three children respond to the advertisement for one of the elderly couple’s three bedroom apartments. When the responding couple arrives to view the apartment the elderly man hands the couple a rental application and says “We will let you know about the apartment after we review the application.” The elderly women however demonstrates a willingness to rent the apartment immediately to the family. After the meeting the elderly man states “I do not believe they are the type of people to rent to” and the women states “just because they are multiracial does not mean they will not be good tenants.” The man in this situation appears to make a snap judgment concerning the possible tenancy in relation to that the family is multiracial whereas the women is looking at the tenancy without considering multiracialism. Viewing the apartment rental scenario from the elderly man’s perspective can include one or more influences. For example the elderly man’s personal perspective can reflect beliefs such
Linda Collazo
PSY/220
May 29, 2011
Abigail McNeely
Changing Perspective
People, especially diverse people of contemporary times commonly look at other people, situations, or life events with different perspectives. Sometimes looking at other people, situations, and life events with different perspectives cause people to make snap judgments without factual knowledge. Contributors such as personal beliefs, religion, culture, mood, personality, and relative situations can influence an interpretation of a person or event, cause a snap judgment, or possibly change another perspective. Other contributors that add influence to the common influences of perspectives and judgments are environments and life satisfaction. Consider the following scenario that two people may view differently: An elderly Caucasian women and man, for example, rent apartments in a small Caucasian village. An interracial (Black and White) couple with three children respond to the advertisement for one of the elderly couple’s three bedroom apartments. When the responding couple arrives to view the apartment the elderly man hands the couple a rental application and says “We will let you know about the apartment after we review the application.” The elderly women however demonstrates a willingness to rent the apartment immediately to the family. After the meeting the elderly man states “I do not believe they are the type of people to rent to” and the women states “just because they are multiracial does not mean they will not be good tenants.” The man in this situation appears to make a snap judgment concerning the possible tenancy in relation to that the family is multiracial whereas the women is looking at the tenancy without considering multiracialism. Viewing the apartment rental scenario from the elderly man’s perspective can include one or more influences. For example the elderly man’s personal perspective can reflect beliefs such
References: Bolt, M. (2004). Pursuing human strengths: A positive psychology guide. New York: Worth Publishers. (2011). Elliot Lake news and Views. Retrieved from http://elliotlakenews.wordpress.com/2011/03/06/can-sweden-survive-multi-racialism/