If a friend tells us that his new dog is a Rottweiler, we perceive the dog to be more vicious and dangerous than if the friend had told us the dog was a Labrador Retriever. This is an example of

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Our biases, expectations, and desires can create what psychologists call a perceptual set, or a predisposition to perceive only what we want or expect to perceive. For example, research shows that if we're told an infant's name is David, we perceive that child to be stronger and bigger than if the same infant is called, say, Diana. Our perceptual set tells us that male infants are usually bigger and stronger than female ones, so we "see"a bigger, stronger baby when we're told it's a boy. Likewise, our perceptual set tells us that Rottweilers are more dangerous than Labrador Retrievers, so we "see"a more dangerous dog when we're told it's a Rottweiler.

If a Friend Tells Us That His New Dog Is