1. The Role of Affect in Workgroups and Teams Jacqueline Tanghe 14-01-2009

2. Overview The Formation of Group Affect and Team Effectiveness: The Role of Identification (in press; BJM) Emotional Convergence: The Role of Prototypicality and Identification Group Affective Tone and Cooperation: The Role of Prototypicality and Identification The role of Group Member Affect in the Relationship between Trust and Cooperation (in press; BJM)

3. Affect on the Group Level Group affect or group affective tone: A shared pattern of homogeneous affective states among group members (George, 1990)  Through process called emotional convergence Group affect has a profound influence on group member behavior

4. Questions When will group affect be formed? When will the link between group affective tone and team effectiveness manifest itself? To what or whom do group members affectively converge to? Insights derived from social identity perspective may offer a framework to answer these questions

5. Study 1: Identification and Group Affect Q: When is group affect formed and when does it have subsequent influences on team effectiveness? Identification: The perception of oneness with or belongingness to an organization, where the individual defines him or herself in terms of the organization(s) in which he or she is a member (Ashforth & Mael, 1989)

6. Study 1: Methods Study 1a: Survey (71 teams). Study 1a: Survey (71 teams). Measures: PA / NA, identification, OCB, team performance OCB, team performance Study 1b: Scenario-experiment. Study 1b: Scenario-experiment. Design (identification [high/low] x affect Design (identification [high/low] x affect group members [bored/relaxed]). group members [bored/relaxed]). DV: own affect, OCB

7. Study 1: Main Results Study 1a &1b Both studies show that there is more convergence when identification is higher Both studies show that there is more convergence when identification is higher

8. Study 2: Prototypicality, Identification and Emotional Convergence Q: To what or whom do group members affectively convergence to? Prototypical group member: most Prototypical group member: most representative of group membership representative of group membership Most influential in group processes Most influential in group processes  Especially when group identification is high

9. Study 2: Methods Study 2a: Scenario-experiment. Study 2a: Scenario-experiment. Design (prototypicality [high/low] x Design (prototypicality [high/low] x group member affect [bored/relaxed]). group member affect [bored/relaxed]). DV: own affect Study 2b:Survey (118 teams). Study 2b:Survey (118 teams). Measures: PA / NA, prototypicality, Measures: PA / NA, prototypicality, identification identification

10. Study 2: Main Results Study 2a &2b Scenario showed people’s affective states had converged more to the affective state of a more prototypical group member than to that of a less prototypical group member Scenario showed people’s affective states had converged more to the affective state of a more prototypical group member than to that of a less prototypical group member

11. Study 3: Prototypicality, Identification and Group Affective Tone Q: When will the link between group affective tone and team functioning manifest itself? Group affective tone is considered a group characteristic Group members who are more prototypical embody the group characteristics more; they will thus behave more according to group defining characteristics Group members who are more prototypical embody the group characteristics more; they will thus behave more according to group defining characteristics  especially when group identification is high  especially when group identification is high

12. Study 3: Method Survey (117 teams). Survey (117 teams). Measures: PA / NA, prototypicality Measures: PA / NA, prototypicality identification, cooperation and OCB identification, cooperation and OCB

13. Study 3: Main Results (1)

14. Study 3: Main Results (2)

15. Beyond Valence From this and other research it becomes apparent that positive and negative affect may shape people’s behaviors profoundly Yet, with this focus on valence the potential importance of the activation level of affect is ignored

16. Study 4: Trust, Affect en Cooperation Cooperation is defining for group functioning Cooperation is defining for group functioning Trust key determinant for cooperation Trust key determinant for cooperation Q: How may we get a distruster to cooperate? What is the role of affective states of group members? What is the role of affective states of group members?  High activation informs about action readiness

17. Study 4: Methods Study 4a: Scenario-experiment. Study 4a: Scenario-experiment. Activation: high vs. Low Activation: high vs. Low Trust continuous variable Trust continuous variable DV: cooperation and OCB DV: cooperation and OCB Study 4b: Computer mediated experiment. Study 4b: Computer mediated experiment. Activation (high vs. Low) x Valence (positive vs. negative) Trust continuous variable Social dilemma: DV: contribution and expected contribution

18. Activation Study 4: Main Results Study 4a &4b

19. Study 4: Why Activation Same pattern for expected cooperation  mediates own cooperation  mediates own cooperation

20. Future Leaves many questions open: Leaves many questions open: Does activation converge? Does activation converge? Little light shed on heterogeneity of identification and prototypicality Little light shed on heterogeneity of identification and prototypicality Other behaviors Other behaviors Better understanding about influence of negative group affect Better understanding about influence of negative group affect

21. Links with Research done at the HRM/OB Dept Emotion My research Team research Social identity framework Research methods Team functioning and cooperation Team composition Interpersonal differences Leadership Information sharing Diversity

22. Questions? Contact Information: JAL.Tanghe@psy.vu.nl