Perception in organisational behaviour is influenced by multiple factors, including the characteristics of the perceiver, the perceived, and the situation.
Understanding these factors is crucial because they shape how individuals interpret information, form impressions, and interact within the workplace. These influences collectively impact employee behaviour, decision-making processes, and overall dynamics within an organization.
Factors Influencing Perception
Perception is a complex process where individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions to give meaning to their environment. As noted, Perception in organisational behaviour is influenced by multiple factors, including the characteristics of the perceiver, the perceived, and the situation. Let's explore each of these key categories:
Characteristics of the Perceiver
The individual doing the perceiving significantly influences how something is interpreted. Internal factors such as needs, motives, past experiences, interests, and expectations all play a role.
- Examples:
- Interests: A manager looking to fill a vacancy might focus more on a candidate's relevant skills during an interview, while another manager might focus on their cultural fit based on past experiences.
- Expectations: If an employee expects their boss to be critical, they might interpret a neutral comment negatively.
- Needs/Motives: Someone worried about job security might perceive organizational changes as threats, while someone seeking growth opportunities might see them as possibilities.
Characteristics of the Perceived
The attributes of the target being observed also affect perception. Things like novelty, motion, sounds, size, background, proximity, and similarity can make certain stimuli stand out more than others.
- Examples:
- Novelty: A sudden change in an employee's appearance or behaviour (e.g., consistently arriving late) is more likely to be noticed than routine behaviour.
- Proximity: Employees working closely together are more likely to be perceived as a group or team than those geographically separated.
- Similarity: People tend to perceive others who look or act like them more favourably.
Characteristics of the Situation
The context or setting in which the perception takes place is also critical. The time, work setting, and social setting can all influence how something is perceived.
- Examples:
- Time: A joke told during a casual lunch break might be perceived as funny, but the same joke told during a formal board meeting could be perceived as inappropriate.
- Work Setting: Observing an employee talking loudly might be perceived differently in a quiet library compared to a noisy factory floor.
- Social Setting: How you perceive a colleague's behaviour can depend heavily on whether you are at a company picnic versus a formal performance review meeting.
Summary Table: Factors Affecting Perception
| Factor | Description | Examples in OB Context |
|---|---|---|
| Perceiver | Internal factors of the individual doing the perceiving (e.g., needs, past experiences, expectations). | Manager's bias towards certain candidates; employee's interpretation of feedback based on self-esteem. |
| Perceived | Attributes of the person or object being perceived (e.g., appearance, behaviour, distinctiveness). | An employee's punctuality or visible effort; a striking visual aid in a presentation. |
| Situation | The context or environment in which the perception occurs (e.g., time, place, social setting). | How a comment is received depending on whether it's made in a formal meeting or a casual chat. |
These three sets of factors interact constantly, making perception a dynamic and subjective process within an organization. Recognizing these influences helps individuals understand why different people may perceive the same event or person differently and highlights the challenges in communication and decision-making.
