Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Why, How, And When Divergent Perceptions Become Dysfunctional In Organizations: A Motivated Cognition Perspective, Zhanna Lyubykh, Laurie J. Barclay, Marion Fortin, Michael R. Bashshur, Malika Khakhar

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Decades of research has demonstrated that people can arrive at starkly different perceptions in the same social situations. Divergent perceptions are not inherently dysfunctional. However, if divergent perceptions are not managed effectively, they can have deleterious effects that can undermine functioning in the workplace. Drawing on a motivated cognition perspective, we outline why divergent perceptions may emerge as well as overview the benefits and drawbacks of divergent perceptions in organizational contexts. Next, we highlight the complexities associated with divergent perceptions in the workplace, including why, how, and when divergent perceptions may become dysfunctional. We also showcase theoretical insights from a …