In organisational behaviour, perception is the way employees and managers make sense of people, events, and organisational policies, not the events themselves. It is subjective, selective, and influenced by experience, expectations, and context. As a result, two people can perceive the same situation very differently.
Key Features
- Subjectivity:
- Perception is “psychological reality,” which may differ from objective facts.
- Selectivity:
- People filter information based on interest, needs, and importance, ignoring other stimuli.
- Context-dependence:
- The same behaviour (e.g., a firm tone) may be seen as “assertive” or “rude” depending on culture, mood, and prior relations.