Where perception meets reality: The effects of different types of faultline perceptions, asymmetries, and realities on intersubgroup conflict and workgroup outcomes

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a more nuanced view of the faultline concept, focusing on how the interaction of perceived faultline characteristics and objective faultline characteristics can influence intersubgroup conflict and group outcomes. Using both qualitative and quantitative data, we find that perceived faultlines are positively related to intersubgroup conflict (which fully mediates the effects on emergent states and partially mediates the effects on effective group processes), and that these effects are exacerbated in the presence of objective demographic faultlines, symmetric faultline perceptions, and faultlines perceived to exist based on person-related rather than job-related chara..