Theresa M. Glomb

This study investigates whether the altruism and courtesy dimensions of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) regulate mood at work. Social psychological theories of mood regulation suggest helping behaviors can improve individuals’ moods because helping others provides gratification and directs attention away from one's negative mood. We capture mood states prior to and following the enactment of OCBs using experience sampling methodology in a sample of managerial and professional employees over a 3‐week period. Results suggest altruism shows a pattern consistent with mood regulation; negative moods during the prior time period are associated with altruism and positive moods in the subsequent time period. The pattern of results for courtesy behaviors is only partially consistent with a mood regulation explanation. Consistent with theories of behavioral concordance, interaction results suggest individuals higher on Extroversion have more intense positive mood reactions after engaging in altruistic behaviors. Interactions with courtesy were not significant.

The experience sampling method is used to measure variance over time in events, moods, and behaviours in the work setting via palmtop computers in a sample of 41 employees. Theoretical propositions about event–mood–behaviour relations are derived from Affective Events Theory () and tested using within‐ and between‐persons variance. The experiment found 56% of the variance in hedonic tone of mood was within‐ rather than between‐persons. Hedonic tone was significantly related to both positive and negative work events in expected directions. The relationship between negative events and mood was approximately five times stronger than that between positive events and mood, even though positive events were reported three to five times more frequently than negative events. Hedonic tone was positively related to engaging in work withdrawal and negatively related to engaging in work tasks. Implications of these findings as well as the use of experience sampling for the study of dynamic workplace variables are discussed.

Unlike the majority of research hypothesizing that similarity between individuals results in positive individual outcomes, this article examines whether dissimilarity results in positive outcomes. On the basis of interpersonal interaction theory, the authors hypothesized that dissimilarity in the personality dimension of control within supervisor-subordinate dyads is positively associated with the subordinate's satisfaction with the supervisor; results obtained with polynomial regression techniques were supportive. However, for 2 other outcomes, organizational citizenship behaviors and work withdrawal, neither similarity nor dissimilarity within the dyad was important; subordinate level of control was related to organizational citizenship behaviors reported by subordinates, and supervisor level of control was related to work withdrawal reported by subordinates. These findings portray the importance of examining relationship complexities beyond similarity in organizational dyad research.

The concept of emotional labor demands and their effects on workers has received considerable attention in recent years, with most studies concentrating on stress, burnout, satisfaction, or other affective outcomes. This study extends the literature by examining the relationship between emotional labor demands and wages at the occupational level. Theories describing the expected effects of job demands and working conditions on wages are described. Results suggest that higher levels of emotional labor demands are associated with lower wage rates for jobs low in cognitive demands and with higher wage rates for jobs high in cognitive demands. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Workplace aggression is typically assessed by reports of the frequency of aggressive behaviors aggregated across incidents. Relations tested using such assessments are limited in the information they can provide about the operation of aggression within the context of a specific encounter. Analysis of data from structured interviews and questionnaire reports of employee experiences of specific workplace aggression incidents (as the target and as the aggressor) examine a variety of perceived antecedents, aggressive behaviors, and outcomes. Results suggest a variety of organizational, job-related, and personal antecedents, such as job stress and conflicts, and job-related outcomes, such as dissatisfaction. These data provide insight into the patterning of aggressive behaviors within an encounter and suggest an escalatory pattern. Data suggest relations between the severity of an aggressive encounter and the negativity of employee outcomes.