Understanding the emotional aspects of escalation of commitment: The role of negative affect

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Wong, KFE; Yik, M; Kwong, JYY
• 署名单位: Hong Kong University of Science & Technology; Hong Kong University of Science & Technology; Chinese University of Hong Kong
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/0021-9010.91.2.282
• 发表日期: 2006
• 页码: 282-297
• 关键词: escalation of commitment; emotion; negative affect; neuroticism; organization decision making

摘要

Despite the importance of understanding the emotional aspects of organizational decision making, prior research has paid scant attention to the role of emotion in escalation of commitment. This article attempts to fill this gap by examining the relationship between negative affect and escalation of commitment. Results showed that regardless of whether negative affect was measured as a dispositional trait (Neuroticism) in Studies 1 and 2 or as a transient mood state in Study 3, it was negatively correlated with escalation tendency when one was personally responsible for a prior decision. This pattern of results is consistent with the predictions derived from the coping perspective, suggesting that people seek to escape from the unpleasant emotions that are associated with escalation situations.