Emerald | International Journal of Conflict Management

Conflict and Trust: The mediating effects of emotional arousal and self-conscious emotions

Mingkai Jeremy Chen, Oluremi Bolanle Ayoko — 2012-02-10 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - Researchers suggest that trust building may be challenging in the face of conflict. However, there is an emerging proposition that conflict is critical for trust. Using affective events and attribution theories as a framework, we present a model of the mediating effects of positive emotional arousal and self-conscious emotions in the relationship between conflict and trust.Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected from 325 students enrolled in varied postgraduate programs in a large business school. The authors employed Preacher and Hayes (2008)’s bootstrapping SPSS macros to test the direct and mediation effects of the connection between conflict, emotions and trust. Findings - Results showed that task, relationship and process conflict were associated with differing aspects of positive emotional arousal (enthusiasm, excitement) and self-conscious emotions (guilt and shame). Similarly, behavioral guilt was linked with trust while emotions mediated the link between conflict and trust. Research limitations/implications - We acknowledge that there are possible covariates (e.g. how long ago did the conflict occur?) with the variables used in the current study. Future research should include such covariates in the study of the relationship between conflict emotions and trust. Also, our data were largely cross-sectional, drawn from relatively small sample. In future, researchers should examine similar constructs with longitudinal data and in large organisational sample. In spite of the above limitations, the validity of the results presented in this paper is not compromised. Our study extends self-conscious emotions literature (e.g.Rusch and colleagues, 2007;Tangney, 1996;Tracy and Robins, 2006). by demonstrating that guilt and shame have cognitive and behavioral properties and with differing connections with conflict and trust. Practical implications - Our findings suggest that managers who want to engender trust in conflict situations should stimulate task conflict to arouse enthusiasm and excitement. These discrete emotions are critical for building integrity based trust. Alternatively, by managing reparative emotions of guilt effectively, managers may increase levels of perceived trust. Overall, our results suggest that focusing on the effect of conflict on trust without considering the positive emotional arousal and self-conscious emotions could yield disappointing outcomes. Originality/value - The study provides new insights into the influence of conflict on trust and the mediating role of emotions (e.g. guilt and shame) in the link between conflict and trust. The paper also offers a practical assistance to individuals interested in building trust especially in the face of conflict.

Venting as Emotion Regulation: The influence of venting responses and respondent identity on anger and emotional tone

Jennifer Parlamis — 2012-02-10 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - This paper explores the emotion regulatory aspects of venting and uses an attribution appraisal framework to investigate the differential impact on anger and emotional tone given a reinforcing or reinterpreting response. Design/methodology/approach - This research used a 2 (target: offender or third party) x 2 (response type: reinterpret or reinforce) between-subjects factorial design. Dependent variables were measured quantitatively in the form of a post-venting questionnaire.Findings - This research supports the notion that venting may be used as an emotion regulatory strategy and highlights the importance of the reciprocal aspect of the venting interaction. In addition, this research underscores the importance of attributions in the venting process, in particular, the attributions used in responding to venting. This research shows that the response types (reinforcing or reinterpreting) as well as the identity of the target (offender or third party) are important determinants of anger and emotional tone.Originality/value - Attributions play a critical roll in the venting process. In addition, the myth of venting may persist not because we release anger but because we "feel better" after the venting interaction.

Task and relationship conflict in short-term and long-term groups: The critical role of emotion regulation

Petru Lucian Curseu, Smaranda Boros, Leon AG Oerlemans — 2012-02-10 00:00:00.0

Abstract

Purpose - Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the triple interaction of task conflict, emotion regulation and group temporariness on the emergence of relationship conflict. Key-words: task and relationship conflict, emotion regulation, temporary groups Article type – Research note. Design/methodology/approach - Design/methodology/approach – A field study was conducted to test the interaction of emotion regulation and task conflict on the emergence of relationship conflict in 43 ad-hoc groups with 44 permanent groups. Findings - Findings – The results show that the highest chance that task conflict evolves into relationship conflict is when groups (both ad-hoc and permanent) have less effective emotion regulation processes, while task and relationship conflict are rather decoupled in permanent groups scoring high on emotion regulation. Research limitations/implications - Research limitations/implications – This study concludes with a discussion of the obtained results in terms of their implications for conflict management in teams. Further research should explore the moderation effects in longitudinal studies in order to fully test the variables in our model. Originality/value - Originality/value – The paper answers the call for contingency models of intragroup conflict and tests the moderating effect of two such contingencies in the relationship between task and relationship conflict.