Emotions

Emotions are also central components of human reactions to many types of stimuli. Hence, they can directly cue specific behaviors, as well as indirectly influence behavior by their effect on physiological, cognitive, or social processes. For these reasons, attempts to change behaviors in organizations to more effective patterns may require that emotions also be changed, as is often the case with organizational interventions. Emotions can influence organizational behavior in a number of ways. Some of the ways are direct, such as the triggering of behavior by emotions, whereas other ways are indirect, such as emotions influencing behavior through mediating mechanisms like motivation or cognition. Emotions can influence organizational behavior in a number of ways, as we discuss in the following sections. Some of the ways are direct, such as the triggering of behavior by emotions, whereas other ways are indirect, such as emotions influencing behavior through mediating mechanisms like motivation or cognition. Emotions play an integral role in motivation. Individual differences in emotional tendencies interact with organizational events and social interactions to yield emotional reactions that importantly shape an individual’s goals and the persistence of effort in the face of obstacles.

The influence of emotional reactions to organizational events, such as downsizing, may seriously weaken personal commitment to organizationally desired goals and, in turn, job performance. Emotional processes are also implicated in the accomplishment of complex and longer-term goals. Individual differences in the regulation of different emotions, such as anger and boredom, play a central role in the effective pursuit of goals that involve sustained attentional effort. In organizational contexts, such individual differences may be particularly important in the prediction of training outcomes and performance in jobs that involve substantial autonomous functioning. Because emotions are communicated and perceived rapidly, such processes often occur outside awareness, but they can still have an impact on important social processes, such as trust in others, perceptions of honesty, interpersonal attraction, and group commitment.