Topic 4: Emotion, attitudes and stress
Managers must create environments where people feel supported and capable of success. This requires an understanding of three factors and their impact on the workplace.:
1. Emotions 2. Attitudes 3. Work-related stress
1. Emotions in the workplace Our emotions influence almost everything we do in the workplace.
ii Emotions are physiological, behavioural and psychological episodes experienced towards an object, person, or event that create a state of readiness.
(McShane & Von Glinow, 2014, p. 702)
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Affective circumplex A useful model of how we process emotions is the circumplex model (McShane & Von Glinow, 2014). At the foundation of this model is that emotions have two dimensions.
1. Emotions generate an evaluation of the target. 2. Emotions produce some level of activation.
=I Watch
This video [4:09 mins] helps explain what the affective circumplex is, and is represented in the diagram below.
1751:20 – ) rOW t 11
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Figure 1.2
Emotions, attitudes and behaviour
Tense
Nervous Stressed Upset
n• easant Sad Depressed
Activate
Arousal
Alert Excited Enthusiastic Elated
Sluggish Bored
Happy
Valence Plea n
Contented
Serene Relaxed Calm
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