Chapter 4: Emotions and Moods

Question 1

affect

Answer 1

a broad range of feelings and emotions that people experience

Question 2

emotions

Answer 2

intense, discrete, and short-lived feeling experiences that are often caused by a specific event

Question 3

moods

Answer 3

feelings that tend to be longer-lived and less intense than emotions and that lack a contextual stimulus

Question 4

6 universal emotions

Answer 4

anger, fear, sadness, happiness, disgust, and surprise

Question 5

moral emotions

Answer 5

emotions that have moral implications because of our instant judgement of the situation that evokes them (contempt for those who behave unethically, anger about injustice done to others, guilt about our own immoral behavior)

Question 6

moral disgust and anger

Answer 6

research indicates that our responses to moral emotions differ from our responses to other emotions. when we feel moral anger, we may be more likely to confront the situation that causes it than when we just feel angry

Question 7

positive emotions

Answer 7

joy and gratitude express a favorable evaluation or feeling

Question 8

negative emotions

Answer 8

anger or guilt, express an unfavorable evaluation or feeling

Question 9

positive affect

Answer 9

a mood dimension that consists of specific positive emotions such as excitement, enthusiasm, and elation at the high end

Question 10

negative affect

Answer 10

a mood dimension that consists of emotions such as nervousness, stress, and anxiety on the high end

Question 11

positivity offset

Answer 11

the tendency of most individuals to experience a mildly positive mood at zero input (when nothing in particular is going on)

Question 12

does the degree to which people experience positive/negative emotions differ across cultures?

Answer 12

yes. its not because people of various cultures are inherently different; people in most cultures appear to experience certain positive and negative emotions, and people interpret them in much the same way worldwide

Question 13

is an individual’s experience of emotion culturally shaped?

Answer 13

yes. some cultures value certain emotions more than others, which leads individuals to change their perspective on experiencing these emotions (Japan and Russia embrace negative emotions, Brazil and Mexico embrace positive emotions). differences may also appear between collectivist vs. individualistic cultures

Question 14

has research shown that negative affect can have benefits?

Answer 14

yes. for example, research in Germany suggests that valuing negative affect often allows people to accept present circumstances and cope, reducing the negative effects on physical and psychological health and decision making. negative effect may also allow managers to think more critically and fairly

Question 15

do emotions make us irrational?

Answer 15

our emotions actually make our thinking more rational because our emotions provide important information about how we understand the world around us and they help guide our behaviors. for example, individuals in a negative mood may be better able to discern truthful from inaccurate information than are people in a happy mood

Question 16

do emotions make us ethical?

Answer 16

numerous studies suggest that moral judgments are largely based on feelings rather than on cognition, even though we tend to see our moral boundaries as logical and reasonable, not as emotional. to some degree, our beliefs are shaped by the groups we belong to, which influence our perceptions of the ethicality of certain situations, resulting in unconscious responses and shared moral emotions

Question 17

personality as an influence on mood

Answer 17

moods and emotions have a personality trait component, meaning that some people have built in tendencies to experience certain moods and emotions more frequently than others

Question 18

affect intensity

Answer 18

individual differences in the strength with which individuals experience their emotions

Question 19

time of day as an influence on mood

Answer 19

time of day effects mood. research shows that the positive affect peak is in the late morning (10 AM to noon) and then remain at that level until early evening (7 PM)

Question 20

day of the week as an influence on mood

Answer 20

most people are in their best moods on the weekends (lowest on Monday’s in the US). this is true in several cultures

Question 21

weather as an influence on mood

Answer 21

research shows that weather has little effect on mood, at least for most people. one expert concluded, “contrary to the prevailing cultural view, these data indicate that people do not report a better mood on bright and sunny days.”

Question 22

illusory correlation

Answer 22

the tendency for people to associate two events when in reality there is no correlation

Question 23

stress as an influence on mood

Answer 23

stressful events negatively effect mood. mounting levels of stress can worsen our moods as we experience more negative emotions

Question 24

social activities as an influence on mood

Answer 24

for most people, social activities increase a positive mood and have little effect on a negative mood. people in positive moods seek out social interactions and social interactions cause people to be in good moods

Question 25

sleep as an influence on mood

Answer 25

sleep qualities affect moods and decision making, and increased fatigue puts workers at risk of disease, injury, and depression. poor or reduced sleep also makes it difficult to control emotions. increased regular sleep enhances creativity, performance, and career success

Question 26

exercise as an influence on mood

Answer 26

research consistently shows that exercise enhances peoples’ positive moods

Question 27

age as an influence on mood

Answer 27

older adults tend to focus on more positive stimuli and less on negative stimuli than younger adults, a finding confirmed across nearly 100 countries

Question 28

sex as an influence on mood

Answer 28

evidence confirms that women experience emotions more intensely and more frequently, tend to hold on to emotions longer than men, and display more frequent expressions of both positive and negative emotions, except anger. studies across 37 countries show that men experience anger more powerfully than women and women experience fear and sadness more powerfully than men

Question 29

emotional labor

Answer 29

a situation in which an employee expresses organizationally desired emotions during interpersonal transactions at work. this is a key component of job performance

Question 30

felt emotions

Answer 30

an individual’s actual emotions

Question 31

displayed emotions

Answer 31

emotions that are organizationally required and considered appropriate in a given job

Question 32

surface acting

Answer 32

hiding one’s feelings and forgoing emotional expressions in response to display rules. associated with increased stress and decreased job satisfaction (can lead to emotional exhaustion at work and at home)

Question 33

deep acting

Answer 33

trying to modify one’s true feelings based on display rules. has a positive relationship with job satisfaction, job performance, and even better customer treatment and tips

Question 34

emotional dissonance

Answer 34

inconsistencies between the emotions people feel and the emotions they project. long term emotional dissonance is a predictor for job burnout, declines in job performance, and lower job satisfaction

Question 35

affective event theories

Answer 35

a model suggesting that workplace events cause emotional reactions on the part of employees, which then influence workplace attitudes and behaviors

Question 36

what two important messages does AET offer?

Answer 36

1) emotions provide valuable insights into how workplace events influence employee performance and satisfaction 2) employees and mangers shouldn’t ignore emotions or the events that cause them

Question 37

emotional intelligence

Answer 37

the ability to detect and to manage emotional cues and information. 1) ability to perceive emotions in the self and others 2) understand the meaning of these emotions 3) regulate his or her own emotions accordingly. EI is wildly popular among consulting firms and in the popular press, and it has accumulated some support in the research literature. EI is here to stay

Question 38

emotional regulation

Answer 38

identify and modify the emotions you feel. research suggests that emotion management ability is a strong predictor of task performance for some jobs and for organizational citizenship behavior (can have organizational benefits, but is exhausting and can sometimes make the emotion we are trying to change stronger)

Question 39

emotional suppression as an emotional regulation technique

Answer 39

seems to facilitate practical thinking in the long term, but appears to be helpful only when a strongly negative event would illicit a distressed emotional reaction during a crisis. unless we are in a crisis, it’s better to acknowledge your emotions instead of suppress them

Question 40

cognitive reappraisal as an emotional regulation technique

Answer 40

reframing our outlook on an emotional situation, is one way to regulate emotions effectively. this technique seems to be the most helpful to individuals in situations where they cannot control the sources of stress. research shows that CA may allow people to change their emotional responses, even when the subject matter is as highly emotionally charged as a major conflict

Question 41

social sharing as an emotional regulation technique

Answer 41

venting. research shows that the open expression of emotions can help individuals to regulate their emotions as opposed to keeping emotions “bottled up.” this can have an effect on other people

Question 42

mindfulness as an emotional regulation technique

Answer 42

receptively paying attention to and being aware of the preset moment, events, and experiences. has roots in traditional Buddhist meditative techniques. research shows that mindfulness can slow aging, bolster test performance, and aid in facilitating neuro plasticity. it can also lead to improved job performance, work-life balance, and sleep quality

Question 43

overall message on emotional regulation techniques

Answer 43

while there is much promise in emotional regulation, the best route to a positive workplace is to recruit positive-minded individuals and train leaders to manage their moods, job attitudes, and performance

Question 44

OB applications of emotions and moods

Answer 44

selection process, decision making, creativity, motivation, leadership, negotiation, customer service, work life satisfaction, deviant workplace behaviors, and safety and injury at work