Perceptual Process in the Case
Selection
- Arjun noticed only the risk of displeasing the client and his own pressure from senior management. He filtered out Riya’s earlier good performance and the advance approval of leave.
- Riya focused on the last-minute change and the threatening tone, not on the external client pressure faced by her manager.
Organisation
- Arjun grouped Riya’s behaviour with prior experiences of “uncooperative juniors,” mentally placing her in a category of low-flexibility employees.
- Riya organised the experience as another example of “managers not valuing work–life balance,” linking it with stories from colleagues.
Interpretation (with Errors)
- Arjun showed stereotyping (“young employees these days avoid responsibility”) and projection (assuming she valued client relationships exactly as he did).
- Riya showed halo/negative halo, letting this one incident eclipse her earlier positive view of the manager, and selective perception, focusing only on disrespect and not on constraints.
Response and Outcome
- Arjun threatened negative career consequences if she did not reschedule, which Riya experienced as bullying and a violation of the psychological contract.
- Riya complied outwardly but became disengaged, started exploring job options, and shared her story with colleagues, damaging trust and morale in the team.