Affect, emotions and mood
Universal emotions
• Philosophers, argue that there are universal emotions common to all of us. René Descartes, often called the
founder of modern philosophy, identified six “simple and primitive passions”—wonder, love, hatred, desire,
joy, and sadness—and argued that “all the others are composed of some of these six or are species of them.”
Other philosophers (Hume, Hobbes, Spinoza) identified categories of emotions.
• they agree on six essential Universal emotions like anger, fear, sadness, happiness, disgust and surprise.
Some have also put them in a continuum like
Happiness --> surprise --> fear --> sadness --> anger --> disgust
Sources of Emotions and Moods
• Personality
• Stress
• Social Activities
• Sleep Exercise
• Age
• Gender
Sources of Emotions and Moods
Day of the Week and Time of the Day
Sources of Emotions and Moods
Weather
Emotional labour
• Emotional labour can be described as an employee's expression of
emotions as desired by the organisation while transacting
interpersonally at work. This concept of emotional labour is an
outcome of studies from service jobs. Think about flight attendants
of airlines, here, they are expected to be cheerful and carrying a smile
every time, hospitals want doctors to be emotionally neutral.
Felt versus displayed emotions
• Emotions that we show may not be always same as the ones that we are feeling
right now. People find it difficult when they assume that whatever the other
person is expressing as displayed emotion is also his or her felt emotion. This is
the case in the organisation there as per the roles and responsibilities entrusted
to an employee requires them to mask their true feelings.
• in United States the employees expected to smile and act friendly with the
customers in service organisation but in Israel, a cashier in Supermart, should
look sombre as smiling cashiers may make people think that they are
inexperienced.
• In France employees do not hide their feelings so for them, the case for
emotional dissonance is minimal. Walmart’s experience in Germany has been
totally different from its home country that is US where emphasize is on
employees being friendly while German Shoppers do not really like Walmart’s
helpful and friendly staff.
Surface Acting/ Deep Acting
• Another aspect that you need to
understand about gender Surface Acting Deep Acting
differences; there is some Surface acting is when Deep acting results in
evidence that in same job, men you are hiding your felt modification of innate
and women are expected to emotions to confirm to feeling to confirm to the
display different emotions. Women the organisationally display rules of the
reportedly suppress negative desired emotional display organisation. For example,
feelings and a display more rules. Health Care professional
positive feelings as what is
expected by their Bosses. trying to empathize with
you genuinely.
• This leads to suppression of the
emotions that you are feeling, and
you have to act to keep your job. Deals with one’s Deals with one’s felt
This act can be surface acting and displayed emotions emotions
deep acting. The table below will
help you to differentiate in the
two.
OB Applications of Emotions and Moods
• Selection
• Decision Making
• Creativity
• Motivation
• Leadership
• Interpersonal Conflict
• Negotiation
• Customer Service
• Job Attitudes
• Deviant Workplace Behaviors
Emotional Intelligence (EI)
Peter Salovey and John Mayer were the first to develop a psychological theory of emotional
intelligence and introduced EQ as a:
“set of skills hypothesized to contribute to the accurate appraisal and expression of emotion in
oneself and others, the effective regulation of emotion in self and others, and the use of feelings to
motivate, plan, and achieve in one’s life.”
EI has following five dimensions:
● Self-awareness—being aware of what you’re feeling
● Self-management—the ability to manage your own emotions and impulses
● Self-motivation—the ability to persist in the face of setbacks and failures
● Empathy—the ability to sense how others are feeling
● Social skills—the ability to handle the emotions of others
https://positivepsychology.com/emotional-intelligence-eq/
Daniel Goleman’s theory of Emotional Quotient
Daniel Goleman has included EQ abilities like “self-control, zeal and persistence, and the
ability to motivate oneself.” Goleman is of the view that EQ provides a sign of an individual’s
“potential” for developing emotional competencies (i.e., practical skills) that can help them
thrive at work.
• He has given five key domains in his theory of emotional intelligence:
1. Knowing your emotions
2. Managing emotions
3. Motivating oneself
4. Recognizing emotions in others
5. Handling relationships
Practical Tips
Here are some tips for you to become Emotionally Intelligent and encouraging employees to show emotions at
work. This will result in making supportive workplace.
1. Naming the emotions
Start naming your emotions like energized, lonely, worried, peaceful, motivated, fuming and anxious are all valid
feelings, it will help in defusing them. Try to adjust with the reactions for your emotions. Here, some tools like
Emotion wheels, RULER’s Mood Meter or Atlas of Emotions may help you in developing a vocabulary of emotions.
2. Allow employees to bring their emotions
Encourage your employees to share their feelings at work. Pay attention to their feelings and attempt to manage
their emotions.
A green-yellow-red check-in system may be used, indicating green as you are in flow, yellow means you’re feeling
off, and red indicates you are experiencing a block due to some feelings. You may also use the RULER Mood Meter
with its yellow/green versus red/blue check-ins and its ability to allow people to be more expressive.
3. Nurture Positive Emotions
Encourage your employees to post kind words for their colleagues. You may also create kudos board in your office.
This establishes a connect with each other and experience positive feelings. about their co-workers can help
employees get in touch with and share positive feelings. Remind your employees to relax.
4. Honest Leadership
As a team leader, be mindful of your moods, and in the best of your spirits before any interaction with the team.
You need to be honest with the feelings that you and your team are experiencing. Faking feelings can work short
term only, also lead to distrust in your employees. Your negative emotions reflected in your posture, facial
expressions and tone will be caught by your team and it may turn into disastrous consequences.
