Workplace Emotions,

Attitudes, and Stress

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
S T E P H E N P. R O B B I N S
E L E V E N T H E D I T I O N
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. WWW.PRENHALL.COM/ROBBINS PowerPoint
PowerPoint Presentation
Presentation
All rights reserved. by
by Charlie
Charlie Cook
Cook
Emotions
Emotions Defined
Defined

 Psychological, behavioral, and physiological

episodes that create a state of readiness.

 Most emotions occur without our awareness

 Two features of all emotions:
– All have some degree of activation
– All have core affect –evaluate that something is
good/bad
Emotions-
Emotions- Why
Why Emotions
Emotions Were
Were Ignored
Ignored in
in OB
OB
 The “myth of rationality”
– Organizations are not emotion-free.
 Emotions of any kind are disruptive to
organizations.
– Original OB focus was solely on the effects of strong
negative emotions that interfered with individual and
organizational efficiency.

4–3
 Affect,
Affect, Emotions,
Emotions, and
and Moods
Moods

7-4
Types
Types of
of Emotions
Emotions
 The
The Spectrum
Spectrum of
of
Basic
Basic Emotions
Emotions

7-6
Attitudes
Attitudes versus
versus Emotions
Emotions

Attitudes Emotions

Judgments
Judgments about
about an
an Experiences
Experiences related
related to
to an
an
attitude
attitude object
object attitude
attitude object
object

Based
Based mainly
mainly onon Based
Based on
on innate
innate and
and learned
learned
rational
rational logic
logic responses
responses to
to environment
environment

Usually
Usually stable
stable for
for days
days Usually
Usually experienced
experienced for
for
or
or longer
longer seconds
seconds or
or less
less
 Attitudes:
Attitudes: From
From Beliefs
Beliefs to
to Behavior
Behavior

Perceived Environment
Cognitive Emotional
process process

Beliefs
Emotional
Episodes
Attitude Feelings

Behavioral
Intentions

Behavior
Emotions,
Emotions,Attitudes,
Attitudes, and
and Behavior
Behavior
 How emotions influence attitudes:
1. Feelings and beliefs are influenced by cumulative
emotional episodes (not just evaluation of beliefs)
2. We ‘listen in’ on our emotions

 Potential conflict between cognitive and

emotional processes
 Emotions also directly affect behavior
• e.g. facial expression
Generating
Generating Positive
Positive Emotions
Emotions at
at Work
Work

LeasePlan USA and other

companies apply the dual
cognitive-emotional
attitude process.

They actively create more

positive than negative
emotional episodes,
which produce more
positive work attitudes.

4-10
TED
TED talk
talk : : Are
AreEmotions
EmotionsContagious
Contagiousin theWorkplace?
inthe Workplace?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le9Isb03RY8\

11 4-11
 Emotional
Emotional Intelligence
Intelligence Defined
Defined

Ability to perceive
and express
emotion, assimilate
emotion in thought,
understand and
reason with emotion,
and regulate emotion
in oneself and others
Model
Model of
of Emotional
Emotional Intelligence
Intelligence
Self Other
(personal competence) (social competence)

Recognition Awareness of
of emotions Self-awareness
others’ emotions

Regulation Management of
of emotions Self-management
others’ emotions
Emotional
Emotional Intelligence
Intelligence Hierarchy
Hierarchy

Highest Management of
others’ Managing other people’s emotions
emotions

Awareness of
Perceiving and understanding the
others’ meaning of others’ emotions
emotions

Self-
Managing our own emotions
management

Perceiving and understanding the

Self-awareness meaning of your own emotions
Lowest
Improving
Improving Emotional
Emotional Intelligence
Intelligence

 Emotional intelligence is a set of abilities/skills

 Can be learned, especially through coaching
 EI increases with age -- maturity
Job
Job Satisfaction
Satisfaction
 A person's evaluation of his or her job and work
context
 An appraisal of the perceived job characteristics,
work environment, and emotional experience at
work
Job
Job Satisfaction
Satisfaction and
and Performance
Performance
Happy workers are somewhat more productive
workers, but:
1. General attitude is a poor predictor of specific behaviors
2. Job satisfaction effect on performance is lower when
employees have less control over output
3. Reverse explanation: Job performance affects
satisfaction, but only when rewarded
Organizational
Organizational Commitment
Commitment
 Affective commitment
– Emotional attachment to, identification with, and
involvement in an organization

 Continuance commitment
– Calculative attachment – stay because too costly to
quit
4–19
Happiness
Of all the different types of
emotions, happiness tends to be
the one that people strive for the
most. Happiness is often defined as
a pleasant emotional state that is
characterized by feelings of
contentment, joy, gratification,
satisfaction, and well-being.

This type of emotion is sometimes

expressed through:

•Facial expressions such as smiling

•Body language such as a relaxed
stance
•An upbeat, pleasant tone of voice

4–20
 Felt
Felt versus
versus Displayed
Displayed Emotions
Emotions

Felt Emotions
An individual’s actual emotions.

Displayed Emotions
Emotions that are organizationally required and
considered appropriate in a given job.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 4–40

What
WhatAre
Are Emotions?
Emotions? (cont’d)
(cont’d)

Emotional Labor
A situation in which an employee expresses
organizationally desired emotions during
interpersonal transactions.
Emotional Dissonance
A situation in which an employee
must project one emotion while simultaneously
feeling another.

4–44
Gender
Gender and
and Emotions
Emotions
 Women
– Can show greater emotional expression.
– Experience emotions more intensely.
– Display emotions more frequently.
– Are more comfortable in expressing emotions.
– Are better at reading others’ emotions.
 Men
– Believe that displaying emotions is inconsistent with the
male image.
– Are innately less able to read and to identify with
others’ emotions.
– Have less need to seek social approval by showing
positive emotions.
4–45
Affective
Affective Events
Events Theory
Theory (AET)
(AET)
 Emotions are negative or positive responses to a work
environment event.
– Personality and mood determine the intensity of the
emotional response.
– Emotions can influence a broad range of work performance
and job satisfaction variables.
 Implications of the theory:
– Individual response reflects emotions and mood cycles.
– Current and past emotions affect job satisfaction.
– Emotional fluctuations create variations in job satisfaction.
– Emotions have only short-term effects on job performance.
– Both negative and positive emotions can distract workers
and reduce job performance.
4–46
OB
OBApplications
Applications of
of Understanding
Understanding Emotions
Emotions
 Ability and Selection
– Emotions affect employee effectiveness.
 Decision Making
– Emotions are an important part of the decision-making
process in organizations.
 Motivation
– Emotional commitment to work and high motivation
are strongly linked.
 Leadership
– Emotions are important to acceptance of messages
from organizational leaders.

4–47
OB
OBApplications…
Applications… (cont’d)
(cont’d)
 Interpersonal Conflict
– Conflict in the workplace and individual emotions are
strongly intertwined.
 Customer Services
– Emotions affect service quality delivered to customers
which, in turn, affects customer relationships.
 Deviant Workplace Behaviors
– Negative emotions lead to employee deviance (actions
that violate norms and threaten the organization).
• Productivity failures
• Property theft and destruction
• Political actions
• Personal aggression
4–48
What
What is
is Stress?
Stress?
 Adaptive response to situations perceived as
challenging or threatening to well-being
 Prepares us to adapt to hostile or noxious
environmental conditions
 Eustress vs. distress
 General
GeneralAdaptation
Adaptation Syndrome
Syndrome

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

Alarm Reaction Resistance Exhaustion

Normal
Level of
Resistance
Video
Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XADIs-A1iiM\
Consequences
Consequences of
of Distress
Distress

Physiologic Cardiovascular disease,

al hypertension, headaches

Work performance, accidents,

Behavioral absenteeism, aggression, poor
decisions

Psychologic Dissatisfaction, moodiness,

al depression, emotional fatigue
What
What are
are Stressors?
Stressors?
 Stressors are the causes of stress -- any
environmental condition that places a physical or
emotional demand on the person.

 Some common workplace stressors include:

– Harassment an incivility
– Work overload
– Low task control
Individual
Individual Differences
Differences in
in Stress
Stress
Individual differences that minimize distress:
 Better physical health – exercise, lifestyle
 Appropriate stress coping strategies
 Lower neuroticism
 Higher extraversion
 Positive self-concept
 Lower workaholism
Managing
Managing Work-Related
Work-Related Stress
Stress

 Remove the stressor

• Minimize/remove stressors
• Work/life balance initiatives
 Withdraw from the stressor
• Vacation, rest breaks
 Change stress perceptions
• Positive self-concept, humor
 Control stress consequences
• Healthy lifestyle, fitness, wellness
 Receive social support