Perceptual Distortion Experience:

I'll choose the "Halo Effect" as the perceptual distortion. In a previous job, a new colleague joined the team with an impressive professional background. Due to this positive initial impression, I unconsciously assumed that they were proficient in all aspects of their role without sufficient evidence. This halo effect influenced my perception, and I initially overlooked some areas where the person needed additional support and guidance.

Top Three Perceptual Distortions for Managers:

Halo Effect: Managers may be prone to seeing an employee's overall performance through a positive or negative filter, based on a single outstanding trait or a specific incident, influencing their overall evaluation.

Selective Attention: Managers might focus on specific behaviors or events that align with their preconceived notions, ignoring other relevant information, leading to biased assessments of employee performance.

Self$-$Fulfilling Prophecy: Managers, unknowingly, might treat employees based on their expectations, influencing the employees' behavior to conform to those expectations, creating a self$-$fulfilling prophecy.

Top Three Perceptual Distortions for Employees with a New Manager:

Stereotypes: Employees may form initial perceptions based on stereotypes about managers, which could be influenced by previous experiences or general assumptions about authority figures.

Impression Management: Employees might observe a manager's carefully curated behavior, creating a favorable impression that may not necessarily reflect the manager's true leadership style or capabilities.

Contrast Effect: Comparisons with previous managers or leaders may lead to distorted perceptions, where the new manager is evaluated based on how different or similar they are to past experiences rather than on their actual performance.

Understanding and addressing these perceptual distortions is crucial for fostering fair and objective assessments in both managerial and employee perceptions.