Ignorance May Be Bliss: How the Ability to Perceive Emotions Influences Attitudes and Behavior

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Shukla, Jigyashu; Joseph, Dana L.; Awasty, Nikhil; Scott, Brent A.
• 署名单位: University of North Carolina; North Carolina A&T State University; State University System of Florida; University of Central Florida; University System Of New Hampshire; University of New Hampshire; Michigan State University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/apl0001327
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: emotion perception; satisfaction; Withdrawal; positive affect; negative affect

摘要

The ability to perceive emotion is traditionally associated with desirable work outcomes. In the present study, we challenge this assumption by examining whether all emotion perception abilities are created equal. Although the ability to perceive positive emotion may be a blessing because it allows one to see positive emotions in one's environment, the empathic accuracy model suggests that the ability to perceive negative emotion may be a curse because it allows one to see negative emotions in one's environment and, as such, may adversely affect one's attitudes and behaviors at work. Across an experimental design (Study 1), a sample of employed coworker dyads (Study 2), and an experience sampling study (Study 3), we found no support for the blessing of the ability to perceive positive emotion, but we did find evidence of the curse of the ability to perceive negative emotion and its harmful effects on how one perceives their coworkers, how one perceives their job, and the extent to which one withdraws from their job. Our findings suggest that emotional contagion is a potential mechanism through which the ability to perceive negative emotion is detrimental to attitudes and behaviors; the more one observes and subsequently feels negative emotions at work, the greater the personal consequences for this ability. To mitigate the adverse effects of this ability, we test and find support for an intervention that instructs employees to focus on positive emotions in their work environment. Implications for future theory and research on emotion perception ability are discussed.