Final answer:
Dysfunctional behavior refers to actions in conflict with an organization's goals, influenced by cognitive dissonance, personality traits, and cultural and situational factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dysfunctional behavior in an organizational context refers to individual behavior that is in basic conflict with the goals of the organization. This type of behavior can stem from a variety of psychological underpinnings, such as cognitive dissonance, which is the psychological discomfort arising from a conflict in a person's behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs that run counter to one's positive self-perception. Other contributing factors can include deep-seated personality traits or the culture of the organization that affects and is affected by individual behavior. Situational influences, such as the specific dynamics at play within the organization, and dispositional influences, such as innate behavioral tendencies influenced by personal and cultural backgrounds, can lead to actions that deviate from expected and functional organizational behavior.