The role of affective traits and affective states in disputants' motivation and behavior during episodes of organizational conflict

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of individuals' affective traits (i.e., affect intensity and affect disposition) and affective states (i.e., positive and negative mood) on their motivations and behavior during episodes of organizational conflict. Two hundred and twenty-three student employees from a variety of jobs and organizations kept daily records, for a three day period, of their conflict experiences at work. The results of hierarchical linear modelling indicated that employees' affective traits and affective states had parallel effects on the conflict management process. Subsequent analyses revealed the source of this parallelism: employees' moods on the day of the conflict fully mediated the effects of their affective disposition on the conflict process variables. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical significance and practical implications. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.