Feeling Bad, Mad and Bored: The Influence of Negative Discrete Emotions on Performance

This symposium showcases cutting-edge research on discrete negative emotions in work-related contexts. Our five papers explore the behavioral outcomes of experiencing and expressing common negative emotions including (a) guilt, (b) boredom, (c) envy, (d) anger, and (e) ambivalence, at the intrapsychic and interpersonal levels of analysis. Drawing on data from experiments, field research, and experience-sampling methodologies, our papers reveal the complex effects of negative discrete emotions, finding that they have both negative and positive consequences for the organization or the person involved. These results suggest that examining discrete negative emotions can advance our understanding of organizations, including managerial action in a variety of contexts, ranging from absenteeism to negotiations. Our symposium will conclude with a discussion, facilitated by Donald Gibson, about the study of discrete emotions, the positive effects of negative emotions, and how they represent an important emerging trend in our understanding of organizations.