What can influence an officer's subjective appraisal of a stimulus?

The subjective appraisal of a stimulus by an officer is largely influenced by past experiences and training. This is because an officer’s prior encounters and the knowledge gained during training shape their perception and interpretation of situations they face. These experiences can create biases or inform the officer on how to react and assess situations based on what has been successful or challenging in the past.

For instance, if an officer has had extensive experience dealing with a particular type of incident, they may have a heightened awareness and potentially respond more quickly or decisively due to learned behavior and familiarity with the related circumstances. Training also equips officers with specific skills and strategies for dealing with various situations, which informs how they perceive and assess scenarios in their day-to-day work.

In contrast, while factors like the time of day, the number of officers present, or the type of uniform worn may play a role in an officer's situational awareness, they do not inherently shape the subjective interpretation of stimuli in the same meaningful way that past experiences and training do. These other factors can affect contextual dynamics but do not directly alter the cognitive appraisal process that is deeply rooted in personal history and education.