T2. w. 8 Introduction to managing perceptions and conflict Flashcards
perception
a process by which individuals organise and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment.
Proprioception-
your ability to tell where your body parts are relative to other body parts
Balance, touch (pressure, warmth, cold, pain, itchiness)
You can sense things without
perceiving them
Perception also involves
searching for, obtaining info and the cognitive processes required for processing info
Prosopagnosia (or face blindness):
can see faces but unable to perceive or recognise them and compensate by recognising people by other means (clothes/hairstyle)
process of perception: Bottom up processing
- how we process the raw data or inputs received by our sensory organs
- the need for attentional selectivity - can’t attend to all sensory info at any given time, so we filter out less relevant info
process of perception: Top down processing:
• how we cognitively process sensory information and construct meaning to make sense of the world
• the need to make sense of our enviro and our search for meaning
End result is filtered.
All have different senses but dif. Cultural backgrounds which lead to having different perceptions.
Our perception of reality shapes and directs our behaviour. We behave and respond to the world as we perceive it rather than reality itself.
Attribution theory
tries to explain how our judgement of people differs depending on the meaning we attribute to their behaviour
what does attribution theory suggest?
We attribute behaviours that we observe as caused by either something internal (personal) something external (situational) - outside events
what determines type of attribution we make?
Three main factors:
- Distinctiveness – whether an individual displays different behaviours in different situations(or the uniqueness of the act)
- Consensus – whether everyone who faces a similar situation responds in the same way
- Consistency – whether the person responds in the same way over time
common cognitive-perceptual biases
Fundamental attribution error
Self-serving bias –
Selective perception
Fundamental attribution error
underestimating the influence of external factors and overestimate the influence of personal factors
Self-serving bias –
overestimating our own (internal) influence on successes and the external influence on our failures
Selective perception
selectively interpret what we see based on particular interests, background, experience, attitudes and framed preference
whilst common cognitive-perceptual baises influence our perceptions & are helpful shortcuts
can be problematic when they lead us to have inaccurate perceptions/judgements about others (it’s a grounding factor in creation of conflict).
conflict
occurs when there is a perceived difference between the interests of the parties concerned.
arises because of perceived differences, or in “circumstances where the interests of different parties are not aligned” (Martin & Fellenz, 2010)
Interpersonal conflict –
between individuals at the person level
Structural conflict
– between groups at the collective level
nature of conflict
Functional outcomes – supports the goals of the individual or group and improves performance
Dysfunctional outcomes – negative affective outcomes or behaviours that hinder goals, behaviour, and performance
types of conflict
task
process
relationship
Task conflict –
differences in perceptions about WHAT work is done
can be dysfunctional or functional
Process conflict
– differences in perceptions about HOW the work gets done
can be beneficial if it stimulates productive discussion/critical assessment of problem and better decision making
Relationship or affective conflict
– conflict with other people and interpersonal incompatibility
Make sure conflict is about the task or process not the people themselves
managing conflict
Managers spend 30% of their time dealing with team conflicts. For employees, 16% of their time is associated with conflicts with supervisors
Conflict processes are at least as important as the conflict states (the intensity of perceived incompatibility)
Collectivistic, open-minded, and collaborative interactions can enhance team functioning
Individualistic, avoiding and competing processes tend to impair team functioning
Thomas and Kilman
5 types of conflict management styles
5 types of conflict management styles (Thomas & Kilman)
1) avoiding (low concern for self & others)
2) accommodating (low concern for self, high concern for others)
3) compromising (med concern for self, med concern for others)
4) competing (high concern for self, low concern for others)
5) collaborating (high concern for self, high concern for others)
practical strategies for managing conflict
Respect the legitimacy of others’ views - acknowledging other party sees things differently to you/have different values (won’t feel attacked)
Value differences and be aware of your own cognitive biases
Establish good communication norms (model respect and courtesy)
Use active listening (full attention and words used)
Be assertive in your communication
Use collaborative problem solving
Use a devil’s advocate
Managing Yourself: A Second Chance to Make the Right Impression
(Halvorson, 2015)
2 phases for evaluation of someone
1) initial assessment- uses heuristics, stereotypes, physical appearance etc as too much info to take in at once (selective perception)
- —–These judgements are made trying to answer Q’s about you:
a) Can you trust them?
b) power (is there a disparity)
c) ego (who’s higher up- seek this for comfort) lenses
2) Perceiver has to work a lot harder, making informed conclusions about you - much harder to do, must reconsider judgements in 1).
In each phases of evaluating someone what happens without people realising?
they’re trying to answer Q’s about you which they do through a set of lenses
Lenses of perception
- trust lens (look at warmth & competence)
- power lens (esp. if perceiver has more power than you, they look at you in terms of your use to them)
- ego lens (self-esteem) (gives sense of who is on top, subconscious thing, ppl want to confirm they’re superior)
how to come across the right way
1) physical signals
2) show instrumentality at each good opp (be needed)
3) modest & inclusive
4) active desire to be fair
5) seize the right moments
(O’Neill & McLarnon, 2017)
Optimising team conflict dynamics for high performance teamwork
what does the team conflict dynamics model do?
connect conflict profiles with key variables in the nomological net: psychological safety, conflict management, and team performance.
possible solutions to team conflicts
- develop team charter, Engaging team members in project management and planning may be another useful exercise to discuss views of timelines, roles, and responsibilities, thereby addressing process conflicts.
Process conflicts that are resolved
early in the team’s lifecycle can help team effectiveness in the long run
types of conflict profiles
1) task-conflict dominant
2) relationship conflict/process conflict-minor
3) mid-range conflict
4) dysfunctional
1) task-conflict dominant
relatively high task conflict and very low relationship and process conflict
2) relationship conflict/process conflict-minor
relatively high task conflict and low relationship and process conflict
3) mid-range conflict
relatively moderate task, relationship, and process conflict
4) dysfunctional
relatively low task conflict and high relationship and process conflict
team conflict profile meaning ( O’Neill and McLarnon (2017) on the topic of Managing Perceptions and Conflict)
Team conflict profiles examines different patterns of conflict across teams and these patterns affect how conflict affects team functioning
