1. Emotions & Moods
Time cools, time clarifies; no mood can
be maintained quite unaltered through
the course of hours. (Mark Twain)

2. Emotions, moods and OB
The workplace was considered emotions and mood
free space in the universe. The business has nothing to do
with emotions and moods the people have either positive or
negative. But recently it is felt that people make the
workplace and as people are not free from emotions, so it is
not possible to make emotions free place in the midst of
people.
There are two possible explanations:
1. Myth of Rationality – no frustration, fear, anger, love
, hate, joy, grief and similar feeling at job.
2. Emotions are Disruptive – Negative -- frustrate the
performance of employee, rarely constructive – enhance
performance.

3. Three terms– Affect, emotion &mood
1. Affect—A broad range of feelings that people
experience. It can be experienced in the form
of emotions and moods.
2. Emotions– Intense feelings that are directed
at someone or something.
3. Moods– Feelings that tend to less intense
than emotions and that lack a contextual
stimulus.

4. Emotions and Moods Differentiated
Emotions Moods
• Caused by specific event. • Cause is often general and unclear
• Very brief in duration (seconds or • Last longer than emotions (hours or
minutes ) days)
• Specific and numerous in nature- • More general – positive and negative
anger, fear, sadness, happiness, disgus
t, surprise
• Usually accompanied by distinct facial • Generally not indicated by distinct
expressions. expressions
• Action oriented in nature. • Cognitive in nature.

5. Structure of Moods
High Negative affect down High Positive affect down
To To
Low positive affect Low negative affect
• Tense • Alert
• Nervous • Excited
• Stressed • Elated
• Upset • Happy
• Sad • Content
• Depressed • Serene
• Bared • Relaxed
• Fatigued • calm

6. Functions of Emotions
The emotions are not irrational-- decisions be made on thinking and feelings
Following are the functions that emotions Serve
1. Positive affect– A mood dimension that consists of specific positive
emotions such as excitement, self-assurance, and cheerfulness at the
high end and boredom, sluggishness, and tiredness at the low end.
2. Negative Affect – A mood dimension that consists of emotions such as
nervousness, stress, and anxiety at the high end and
relaxation, tranquility, and poise at the low end.
3. Positivity offset– The tendency of most individuals to experience a
mildly positive mood at zero input (when nothing in particular is going
on).
4. Evolutionary psychology– An area of inquiry which argues that we must
experience the emotions we do because they serve a purpose.

7. Sources of Emotions & Moods
From where emotions come:
1. Personality: built in tendencies to experience certain
moods & emotions more frequently. Affect Intensity–
difference in strength to experience emotions
2. Day of the Week and Time of the Day: day later in
week or near to week end are felt with good
emotions and moods. Early time of the day is felt with
bad moods.
3. Weather: people are of the opinion that their moods
are good or bad due to weather conditions but
research has not such evidence.

8. Sources of Emotions & Moods
4. Stress: mounting level of stress worsen our
moods. Stress takes toll on our moods.
5. Social Activities: type of activity– physical,
informal, epicurean (eating with others) create
more positive affect than attending meetings
and sedentary (TV watching).
6. Sleep: Less and poor quality puts in bad mood
and impairs decision making and control on
emotions.

9. Sources of Emotions & Moods
7. Exercise: enhances positive moods – not much strong –do
not expect miracles.
8. Age: Early age is with good moods –wrong
People learn to improve emotional experience with age and
have fewer negative emotions as they get more older.
9. Gender: Women experience emotions more intensely as
compared to men except anger. But it depends how someone
is culturally socialized.
Men– are more tough- expression of emotions distorts the
masculine image.
Women– are expected to express more positive emotions
than men –example shown by smiling.

10. OB Applications on Emotions & Mood
1. Selection: criteria be adjusted. As people with
emotions sold more than their counterparts
with less emotional intelligence.
2. Decision Making: Positive moods and emotions
seen to help decision making. Positive moods–
help problem solving skills, make quick decision.
Negative moods– poorer decisions, perfectionist
searching for perfect decision – hard to find.

11. OB Applications on Emotions & Mood
3. Creativity: people with Positive Moods open in
thinking- that leads to creativity. Moreover, people
in positive mood feel everything is going okay and
do not feel to make change that hinders creativity.
4. Motivation: Positive moods – solved better word
puzzles– who saw funny clip than the group with
viewing funny puzzles. Positive feedback enhances
positive moods that in turn results in better
motivation to do job well.

12. OB Applications on Emotions & Mood
5. Leadership: Effective leadership rely on
emotional appeals to help convey their
messages. Excitements, enthusiastic and active
leaders organize their subordinates better and
convey better efficacy, competence, optimism.
6. Negotiation: the negotiators with anger
better win over the opponents. Negative
emotions about bad performance loose in
future negotiations.

13. OB Applications on Emotions & Mood
7. Customer Service: Emotional worker do
better business and repeat. More satisfaction is
attach with emotional dealing.
Emotional Contagion – the process by which
peoples’ emotions are caused by the emotions
of others.
8. Job Attitudes: “Never take your work home”
but it not easy –people having a good day at
work take good moods to their homes.

14. OB Applications on Emotions & Mood
7. Deviant Workplace Behavior: (violate
established norms that threaten organizations
or its’ members or both) Negative emotions lead
to such behavior.