Emotions and Moods
Why have emotions been
excluded from OB study?
Myth of rationality – emotions were the
antithesis of rationality and should not be
seen in the workplace
Belief that emotions of any
kind are disruptive in the
workplace
What are Emotions and Moods
Affect – a generic term that encompasses
both emotions and moods
Emotions – intense feelings that are
directed at someone or something
Moods – feelings that tend to be less
intense than emotions and often lack a
contextual stimulus
Affect, Emotions and Moods
Aspects of Emotions
Biology of Emotions – emotions
originate in the brain’s limbic system,
which is different for each person
Intensity – different people give
different responses to identical
emotion-provoking stimuli
Frequency and Duration – some
emotions occur more frequently and
emotions differ in how long they last
Aspects of Emotions (cont.)
Emotions and Rationality – Our emotions
provide important information about how
we understand the world around us.
Evolutionary Psychology – states that we
must experience emotions because they
serve a purpose; hard to know if this is
valid all the time
Sources of Emotions and Moods
Personality – predisposes people to
experience certain moods and emotions.
Affect intensity affects the strength of the
emotion
Day of week and Time of day – more
positive interactions will likely occur from
mid-morning onwards and also later in the
week
Day of Week Impact on Mood
More Sources
Weather – not an impact according to
research
Stress – increased stress worsens moods
Social Activities – usually increase positive
mood and have little effect on negative
mood
Sleep – less sleep or poor quality sleep
increases negative emotions
More Sources
Exercise – enhances positive mood
Age – older people experience negative
emotions less frequently
Gender – women show greater emotional
expression, experience emotions more
intensely and display more frequent
expressions of emotions
External Constraints on Emotions
Organizational Influences –
most American organizations
strive to be emotion-free
Cultural Influences – cultures
vary in:
Degree to which people
experience emotions
Interpretation of emotions
Norms for the expression of
emotions
Emotional Labor
An employee’s expression
of organizationally desired
emotions during
interpersonal transactions
at work
Emotional dissonance is
when an employee has to
project one emotion while
feeling another one
Felt vs. Displayed Emotions
Felt emotions are the individual’s actual
emotions
Displayed emotions are those that the
organization requires workers to show
Surface acting is hiding our true emotions
Deep acting is trying to change one’s
feelings based on display rules
Emotional Intelligence
One’s ability to detect and manage
emotional cues and information
Five dimensions:
Self-awareness
Self-management
Self-motivation
Empathy
Social skills
OB Applications of
Emotions and Moods
Selection – employers should consider EI a
factor in hiring for jobs that demand a
high degree of social interaction
Decision Making – Positive emotions can
increase problem-solving skills and help us
understand and analyze new information
OB Applications of
Emotions and Moods
Creativity – Positive moods increase
creativity
Motivation – Organizations that promote
positive moods are likely to have a more
motivated workforce
Leadership – Emotions help
convey messages more
effectively
OB Applications of
Emotions and Moods
Interpersonal Conflict – it is critical to
identify and work through the emotional
elements in any conflict
Negotiation – emotions may impair
negotiator performance
Customer Service – customers “catch”
emotions from employees, called
emotional contagion
OB Applications of
Emotions and Moods
Job Attitudes – emotions at work get
carried home but rarely carry over to the
next day
Deviant Workplace Behaviors – those who
feel negative emotions are more likely to
engage in deviant behavior at
work
Implications for Managers
Understand the role of emotions and
moods to explain and predict behavior
Emotions and moods can increase
motivation
Emotional labor recognizes that certain
feelings can be part of a job’s
requirements
Intense emotions can interfere with
performance of complex jobs
The case for EI
Intuitive
appeal – it makes sense
Evidence suggests that a high level of EI
predicts high job performance
Study suggests that EI is
neurologically based
The case against EI
EI is too vague a concept
EI can’t be measured
EI is so closely related to intelligence and
personality that it is not unique when
those factors are controlled
