Browsing by Author "Stickney, Lisa T."
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Item Affect and Decision Making(University of Baltimore, 2009-04) Stickney, Lisa T.Intellect is to emotion as our clothes are to our bodies; we could not very well have civilized life without clothes, but we would be in a poor way if we had only clothes without bodies. [Alfred North Whitehead] S ixteen years ago, Fineman (1993a) called for a more contextualized view of affect and emotion in research. Among the questions he asked were how are de-cisions and decision making impacted by people's emotions, and how does affect alter or guide the decision path? Few have attempted to answer his questions. Instead the prevailing view is that emo-tionality is the antithesis of rationality. In addition, organizations, places where decision making routinely occurs, have been viewed as fundamentally rational places with emotional displays consid-ered unacceptable and disruptive (Ash-forth & Humphrey, 1995). Both of these beliefs are inaccurate. Organizations are not bastions of reasoned discourse, but "emotional arenas" (Fineman, 1993b), and the myth that organizations are ra-tional places devoid of affect can impede effective decision making. As for the link between reason and affect, it is much closer than many think. Neurobiological research demonstrates that affect is an essential component of rational decision making. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that is home to affective reactions. When dam-aged, individuals consistently make poor decisions or no decisions, suggesting that emotionality and decision making are inexorably intertwined (Damasio, 2005). In the words of LeDoux (1996), "cognition is not as logical as it was once thought, and emotions are not always so illogical" (p. 35). This brings us back to Fineman's (1993a) basic question: How does affect influence decisions and decision making? Before taking a closer look at the relationship between affect and decision making, we need working definitions for the terms associated with emotionality. The definitions used in this article are fairly standard and accepted in the emo-tion literature. Affect is a generic label that encompasses both moods and emotions. Moods are low-intensity, relatively endur-ing feelings usually without a known an-tecedent, while emotions are more intense, short lived, and have a clear cause. Both moods and emotions are relevant to deci-sion processes in organizational contexts because they have the potential to influ-ence judgment and decision making in organizations. Emotions can have a direct effect on decision making because they come with an awareness of their origin, so a response can be consciously planned. Moods are important to study because their effects are often subconscious. Thus, emotions and moods may infuse bias into the decision-making processes.Item An Empirical Examination of the Dual Threshold Model of Anger Expression(International Association of Conflict Management 18th Annual Conference Proceedings, 2005-06) Stickney, Lisa T.; Geddes, DeannaThis exploratory study examines the suppression and expression of anger at work within the framework of Callister & Geddes’ (2004) Dual Threshold Model. Data for the study were collected from surveys reflecting a critical incident methodology. Findings support the hypotheses that organizational silence leads to negative workplace outcomes, and expressed anger leads to positive workplace outcomes. There was partial support for the hypothesis that workplace displays of excessive anger negatively impact the offender and the situation that initially provoked the display. Also supported was the hypothesis that negative outcomes would increase when organizational members respond with sanctioning behavior toward the individual whose anger expression was viewed as excessive. Qualitative data were used to examine factors that encourage people to suppress or express their anger at work, as well as the types and frequency of supportive and sanctioning responses to anger displays by organizational observers.Item Keeping Quiet: Factors that Hinder Anger Expression at Work(International Association of Conflict Management 24th Annual Conference Proceedings, 2011-07) Stickney, Lisa T.; Geddes, DeannaMore research is emerging that finds workplace anger expression (versus suppression) is more likely to promote positive individual and organizational outcomes. However, many angry employees at work choose to remain silent rather than express their anger. What factors contribute most to this decision? Using content and factor analysis, we identify three key categories of factors that hinder anger expression at work, most to least frequent, respectively: professional courtesy, fear of repercussions, and organizational norms. We argue that rather than self-focused concerns of retaliation or sanctioning, most people fail to speak up when angry because of perceptions that “professionals” do not express anger, or the concern that anger expression shows a lack of respect for fellow organizational members. Although this is admirable in its other-oriented (versus self-centered) focus, there is a false assumption that keeping one’s anger and concerns hidden about a problematic workplace situation is helpful for the organization. Management can play a key role in changing social norms to allow for honest and helpful expressions of anger by employees without fear of appearing unprofessional or receiving organizational sanctions.Item More Than Just “Blowing off Steam”: The Roles of Anger and Advocacy in Promoting Positive Outcomes at Work(Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, 2016-05) Stickney, Lisa T.; Geddes, DeannaEmployee anger can be suppressed or quieted so that angry individuals only vent frustrations to supportive colleagues, rather than approach those responsible or in an organizational position to help remedy the problematic situation. The Dual Threshold Model (Geddes & Callister, 2007) argues that although these “muted anger” venting episodes may increase unfavorable organizational outcomes, they also may prompt par- ticipants or observers of these displays to engage in advocacy or surrogacy on behalf of an angry colleague. The research reported here empirically tests this proposition and reports that advocating on behalf of one’s angry colleague can enhance individual relationships at work as well as organi- zational functioning. Findings also show that observer felt anger intensity is a primary motivator for prompting anger advocacy and, surprisingly, advocacy is less likely on behalf of close colleagues.Item Positive, Proactive, and Committed: The Surprising Connection Between Good Citizens and Expressed (vs. Suppressed) Anger at Work(Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, 2014-11) Stickney, Lisa T.; Geddes, DeannaIn two studies, we examine the relationship of positive and negative trait affectivity (PA/NA), organizational commitment, and emotional exhaustion with organizational member anger. Utilizing the dual threshold model (DTM) constructs of expressed and suppressed anger (Geddes & Callister 2007), we find employees with high organizational commitment express anger to relevant others, i.e., management or those responsible for the anger-provoking situation. In contrast, emotionally exhausted employees and those with high NA tend to suppress their anger, venting only to uninvolved parties or remaining silent. Findings also indicate a positive relationship with PA and anger expression—a connection rarely considered or examined in anger research. Further, expressed anger ultimately was predictive of perceived improvement with problematic situations, while suppressed anger forms led to perceptions that the situation at work deteriorated.Item Societal Institutions and Work and Family Gender-Role Attitudes(Organization Management Journal, 2012-12) Stickney, Lisa T.; Konrad, Alison M.We examine associations between societal-level policies and gender-role attitudes using nationally representative International Social Survey Program (ISSP) data sets from 14 countries in 1994 and 2002. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) findings indicated that tax policies favoring dual-earner families were associated with greater egalitarianism in gender-role attitudes, while the relationship between parental leave times and individual gender-role attitudes was curvilinear in 2002. Low and high parental leave times were associated with traditionalism in gender-role attitude, while mid-length leaves were associated with egalitarianism. The findings support an institutional perspective on gender-role attitudes and suggest that public policies have sufficient impact on people's interests and experiences to influence their gender-role views.Item The Trouble with Sanctions: Organizational Responses to Deviant Anger Displays at Work(Human Relations) Geddes, Deanna; Stickney, Lisa T.This article examines management and coworker reactions to employee anger expressions that violate salient emotion display norms, for example, deviant anger, and explores whether these reactions can promote subsequent positive change at work. Full-time US employees volunteered information about workplace anger expressions they personally witnessed and felt ‘went too far’. Using open-ended survey questions, we identified three categories of deviant anger (physical acts, intense verbal displays, and inappropriate communication), as well as various formal and informal sanctioning and supportive responses initiated by organizational observers. Additional data collection and generalized linear modeling analysis revealed that when coworkers and management responded supportively to the angry employee (rather than with sanctions or doing nothing), favorable change occurred, improving the problematic situation. Implications for future research, management practices, and employee socialization are discussed.Item When Two Heads Aren’t Better Than One: Conformity in a Group Activity(Management Teaching Review, 2017) Fender, C. Melissa; Stickney, Lisa T.Group and team class decision-making activities often focus on demonstrating that “two heads are better than one.” Typically, students solve a problem or complete an assessment individually, then in a group. Generally, the group does better and that is what the students learn. However, if that is all such an activity conveys, then a significant teachable moment has been missed. It is often the case that a group member has one or more correct answers that the group did not use, or perhaps even outscores the group. The simple activity described here provides an opportunity to discuss a number of reasons that can cause such conformity to happen, integrating several areas of human psychology and behavior, and then segue into techniques to prevent it.