Summary of Attitude & Emotions in Organizations

Attitudes and Emotions in
Organizations
Lectures & Articles

Week 1: 02/09/2024
HC1: Moods and Emotions

Emotions versus Moods (Davidson)
 Duration: moods usually last longer than emotions
 Triggers: emotions are triggered by distinct events, whereas moods
have multiple causes
 Intentionality: emotions have focus and are intentional (directed to
something), moods are not intentional
 Emotion modulate action, while moods modulate cognitition
(thinking)
 Facial expressions: moods do not own facial expressions

Criticisms (Ekman/Frijda):
 Not all moods last longer than emotions
o You can be scared for 20 minutes because of a car what is
following you, but when the car is gone you are not scared
anymore
 Not all emotions have unique facial expressions
 Not all emotions have recognizable antecedents

Functional analysis (Davidson)
 Emotions modulate action, while moods modulate cognition
 Moods are more subjective
 Emotions are triggered by events occurring quickly (versus slow
events that trigger moods)

The 6 universal emotions:
 Happiness
 Sadness
 Anger
 Fear
 Surprise
o Difficult to capture on a picture, because it is a short emotion
and is becoming another emotion
 Disgust

Emotions serve an adaptive function in response to environmental events
that have implications for survival.
 Emotions energize individuals to take appropriate action



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,Evaluation of the situation
 Enhance wellbeing  positive emotions
o Until recently, it was unclear what the evolutionary value of
experiencing some positive emotions was. The action
tendency is general instead of specific.
 Happiness  aimless activity
 Satisfaction  inactivity
 Threatens wellbeing  negative emotions
o Cause specific action tendencies (fight-or-flight-response)
 Anger  fight
 Fear  flight

Broaden-and-Build Theory: typical situations for positive emotions are
not life-threatening.
 Broadening of the cognitive-behavioral repertoire builds valuable
personal resources. Starts with the emotion.
o The reverse causal relation of work engagement with job
resources via increased job crafting behaviors




Benefits of happiness:
 More social rewards
 Better physical and mental health
 More active and more energy
 More cooperative, prosocial and charitable
 Superior work outcomes
 Stronger immune system



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,Articles

1: Moods, Emotions and Traits (Ekman, 1994)

The article highlights that while moods and emotions are both affective
states, they differ in terms of their duration, their impact on sensitivity to
emotions, how they are modulated, their expression, and their underlying
causes. These distinctions are important for understanding how people
process and regulate their emotional and mood-related experiences.

Key points:
 Duration & Time Span: Emotions are generally short-lived, lasting
from seconds to minutes, while moods are more prolonged, lasting
hours, days, or even longer. Emotions can recur frequently, which
might appear as a mood, but if this occurs over an extended period,
it might suggest an affective disorder rather than just a mood.
 Threshold for Emotional Arousal: Moods often lower the
threshold for triggering emotions. Moods can affect how people
interpret events and the world around them, leading to a higher
likelihood of certain emotions being triggered.
o A person in an irritable mood may become angry more easily.
 Modulation of Emotions: Moods can influence a person's ability to
modulate emotions.
o Someone in an irritable mood may find it harder to control
their anger than someone who is not in such a mood.
 Facial & Vocal Expression: Emotions typically have distinct facial
expressions (like a frown when angry), while moods do not have
unique facial expressions. There are also no specific vocal signals
identified that are unique to moods.
 Origin & Triggers: Emotions are usually caused by specific events,
memories, or stimuli, and people can often identify what triggered
their emotion. Moods are less directly linked to specific causes and
are often more challenging to pinpoint in terms of their origin.
 Neurochemical Basis: Moods may be influenced by changes in the
neurochemical or biochemical state of the brain, although the
precise mechanisms are not well understood and require further
research.




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, 2: On Emotion, Mood, and Related Affective Constructs (Davidson,
1994)

Davidson's article provides a comprehensive overview of how emotions
and moods differ in their triggers, duration, intensity, and neural
mechanisms. While emotions are immediate, short-lived responses to
specific stimuli, moods are longer-lasting, less intense, and more diffuse
affective states. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for
psychological and neuroscientific research.

Emotions: generally short-lived, intense responses to specific stimuli.
They serve adaptive functions by preparing an individual to respond to
challenges or opportunities in the environment. 3 components:
 Physiological
o A pattern of consistent autonomic changes
 Cognitive
o A distinct subjective feeling state
 Behavioral
o A prototypic form of expression

Moods: more prolonged, less intense, and not always directly linked to a
specific trigger. Unlike emotions, which have a clear beginning and end,
moods can persist over extended periods, often influencing the general
emotional tone and affecting an individual’s perception and interaction
with their environment.

Key points:
 Functional Differences:
o Emotions help us respond quickly to things happening around
us. Moods, on the other hand, last longer and can influence
how we think, remember, and make decisions over time.
o Emotions come from specific brain circuits activated by certain
events. Moods are thought to come from more widespread
brain activity that is not directly linked to specific events.
 Neural Mechanisms:
o The article explains how different parts of the brain control
emotions and moods. The amygdala plays a key role in
quickly processing emotional signals, especially those related
to fear and threat.
o Moods may involve more lasting changes in brain function,
especially in the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in
planning, decision-making, and controlling emotions.
 Affective Constructs Beyond Emotion and Mood:
o Related affective constructs, such as affective traits (our
usual emotional tendencies) and affective disorders (like
depression or anxiety), which represent extremes forms of
mood states.




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