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 motivated cognition perspective that can enhance our understanding of how divergent perceptions can be effectively managed. We conclude by outlining key theoretical insights and avenues for future research, including how organizations can use a motivated cognition perspective to manage divergent perceptions related to complex societal issues and issuing a call to adopt a systems approach that recognizes the importance of contextual layers for understanding and effectively managing divergent perceptions in organizations.

数十年的研究表明，人们在相同的社交情境中可能会得出截然不同的看法。不同的看法并不是天生的功能失调。然而，如果不同的看法没有得到有效管理，它们可能会产生有害影响，从而破坏工作场所的运作。借鉴有动机的认知观点，我们概述了为什么会出现不同的看法，并概述了不同看法在组织环境中的好处和缺点。接下来，我们强调与工作场所的不同看法相关的复杂性，包括为什么、如何以及何时不同的看法可能变得功能失调。我们还从动机认知的角度展示了理论见解，可以增强我们对如何有效管理不同看法的理解。