Introduction
Conflict is an inherent and unavoidable aspect of organisational life. While structural factors such as limited resources, role ambiguity, and goal incompatibility contribute to conflict, organisational psychology emphasises that conflicts are fundamentally shaped by human perceptions, emotions, and power relations. These psychological variables determine how situations are interpreted, how individuals react emotionally, and how conflicts are expressed, suppressed, or escalated within hierarchical systems.
An academic understanding of organisational conflict therefore requires moving beyond surface-level disagreements to examine the subjective meanings, affective processes, and power asymmetries that underlie workplace interactions.
1. Role of Perceptions in Organisational Conflict
1.1 Perception as a Psychological Construct
Perception refers to the process by which individuals select, organise, and interpret information from their environment. In organisations, employees do not respond to objective reality alone but to their perception of reality.
According to cognitive psychology, perception is influenced by:
Past experiences
Beliefs and expectations
Cultural background
Current emotional state
As a result, the same organisational event may be perceived differently by different individuals.
1.2 Perceptual Distortions and Conflict
Conflicts often arise due to perceptual biases, such as:
Selective perception
Stereotyping
Attribution errors
Attribution theory, proposed by Fritz Heider, explains that individuals tend to attribute others’ behaviour to internal traits rather than situational factors. This leads to misunderstanding and blame.
📌 Example:
A delayed response from a colleague may be perceived as irresponsibility rather than workload pressure, leading to interpersonal conflict.
1.3 Perception and Misinterpretation of Intent
In organisational settings, employees frequently infer intentions behind actions. When intent is perceived as hostile, unfair, or disrespectful, conflict escalates rapidly—even in the absence of actual ill intent.
📌 Key academic insight:
Conflict often exists at the level of perceived incompatibility, not objective incompatibility.
2. Role of Emotions in Organisational Conflict
2.1 Emotional Dimension of Work
Contrary to earlier views that organisations are emotionally neutral spaces, modern organisational psychology recognises that workplaces are emotionally charged environments. Employees experience emotions such as:
Anger
Anxiety
Fear
Frustration
Insecurity
Shame
These emotions strongly influence conflict behaviour.
2.2 Emotion as a Catalyst for Conflict
Emotions serve as amplifiers of conflict. When negative emotions are triggered:
Tolerance decreases
Defensive behaviour increases
Rational problem-solving declines
The frustration–aggression hypothesis suggests that blocked goals and unmet needs generate frustration, which may be expressed as aggression or displaced conflict.
📌 Example:
An employee experiencing chronic workload stress may react aggressively to minor feedback, escalating conflict disproportionately.
2.3 Emotional Suppression and Latent Conflict
In many organisations, particularly those with hierarchical or authoritarian cultures, emotional expression is discouraged. Suppressed emotions do not disappear; instead, they manifest as:
Passive aggression
Withdrawal
Reduced cooperation
Psychosomatic symptoms
From a psychodynamic perspective associated with Sigmund Freud, repressed emotions resurface indirectly, intensifying conflict over time.
2.4 Emotional Contagion and Conflict Spread
Emotions are socially contagious. Negative emotions experienced by one individual can spread across teams, transforming individual conflict into group or departmental conflict.
3. Role of Power in Organisational Conflict
3.1 Understanding Power in Organisations
Power refers to the capacity to influence behaviour, decisions, or outcomes. In organisations, power exists in multiple forms:
Formal power (authority, position)
Expert power (knowledge, skills)
Informal power (networks, alliances)
Conflict is deeply shaped by how power is distributed, exercised, and perceived.
3.2 Power Asymmetry and Conflict Expression
Power differentials influence:
Who can express disagreement
Who remains silent
How conflict is managed
In high power-distance organisations, subordinates may suppress conflict due to fear of negative consequences. This creates latent conflict, which later emerges in indirect or dysfunctional forms.
📌 Example:
Employees may comply outwardly while resisting change covertly through delays or non-cooperation.
3.3 Power, Control, and Psychological Safety
When power is exercised in a controlling or punitive manner, employees experience:
Threat to autonomy
Fear of humiliation
Loss of psychological safety
Such conditions increase emotional stress and intensify conflict behaviour. Conversely, participative and empathetic use of power reduces destructive conflict.
4. Interaction of Perceptions, Emotions, and Power
Perceptions, emotions, and power do not operate independently; they interact dynamically to shape conflict.
Perceived injustice triggers negative emotions
Negative emotions intensify perception of threat
Power imbalance restricts expression of concerns
📌 Academic synthesis:
The most damaging organisational conflicts occur when misperception, emotional arousal, and power asymmetry reinforce each other.
5. Organisational and Cultural Context
Cultural norms influence how perceptions, emotions, and power are experienced:
In collectivistic cultures, open confrontation is avoided
In hierarchical cultures, power distance shapes conflict expression
In competitive cultures, emotional restraint may mask underlying tensions
Understanding cultural context is therefore essential for accurate conflict diagnosis.
6. Implications for Organisational Psychology and Practice
From an organisational psychology perspective:
Conflict must be analysed at the psychological level, not merely structural
Leaders must address perceptions and emotions, not just behaviour
Power should be exercised to create psychological safety rather than fear
Effective conflict management requires:
Perspective-taking
Emotional intelligence
Fair and transparent use of power
Conclusion
Perceptions, emotions, and power play a central role in the emergence, escalation, and resolution of organisational conflicts. Conflicts are rarely caused by objective conditions alone; they are shaped by how situations are interpreted, how individuals feel, and how power is distributed and exercised. An academic understanding of these psychological processes enables organisations to move from reactive conflict control to preventive and constructive conflict management, thereby enhancing organisational effectiveness, employee well-being, and relational harmony.
References (Indicative – Exam Use)
Freud, S. (1923). The ego and the id.
Heider, F. (1958). The psychology of interpersonal relations.
Robbins, S. P. (2013). Organizational behavior.
Sinha, J. B. P. (2008). Culture and organizational behaviour.
Thomas, K. W. (1992). Conflict and conflict management. Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
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