Abstract
We examine the mediating role of employees’ affective well-being in the relationship between relationship conflict and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and how this process varies based on their emotional intelligence (EI). Using a time-lagged survey design, we found that affective well-being mediates the relationship between relationship conflict and CWBO (CWB directed toward the organization) but not CWBI (CWB directed toward individuals). Furthermore, the positive indirect effect of relationship conflict on CWBO via affective well-being was significant for employees who have high levels of EI but not for those with low levels of EI.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
We use the term, affect, as an umbrella term capturing affect-related constructs. Because our theory does not rely on the differences in affect-related constructs, we use the words affect and emotions interchangeably.
References
Alper S, Tjosvold D, Law KS (1998) Interdependence and controversy in group decision making: antecedents to effective self-managing teams. Organ Behav Hum Decis 74:33–52. https://doi.org/10.1006/obhd.1998.2748
Amason AC (1996) Distinguishing the effects of functional and dysfunctional conflict on strategic decision making: resolving a paradox of top management teams. Acad Manag J 39:123–148. https://doi.org/10.2307/256633
Aquino K, Lewis MU, Bradfield M (1999) Justice constructs, negative affectivity, and employee deviance: a proposed model and empirical test. J Organ Behav 20:1073–1091. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1099-1379(199912)20:7%3c1073::aid-job943%3e3.0.co;2-7
Austin EJ, Farrelly D, Black C, Moore H (2007) Emotional intelligence and emotional manipulation: does EI have a dark side? Pers Individ Differ 43:179–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.11.019
Baumeister RF, Smart L, Boden JM (1996) Relation of threatened egotism to violence and aggression: the dark side of high self-esteem. Psychol Rev 103:5–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.103.1.5
Becker TE (2005) Potential problems in the statistical control of variables in organizational research: a qualitative analysis with recommendations. Organ Res Methods 8:274–289. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428105278021
Bell ST (2007) Deep-level composition variables as predictors of team performance: a meta-analysis. J Appl Psychol 92:595–615. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.3.595
Bennett RJ, Robinson SL (2000) Development of measure of workplace deviance. J Appl Psychol 85:349–360. https://doi.org/10.1037//0021-9010.85.3.349
Berkowitz L (1989) Frustration–aggression hypothesis: examination and reformulation. Psychol Bull 106:59–73. https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-2909.106.1.59
Berry CM, Carpenter NC, Barratt CL (2012) Do other-reports of counterproductive work behavior provide an incremental contribution over self-reports? A meta-analytic comparison. J Appl Psychol 97:613–636. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026739
Bowling NA, Eschleman KJ (2010) Employee personality as a moderator of the relationships between work stressors and counterproductive work behavior. J Occup Health Psychol 15:91–103. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017326
Bradburn NM (1969) The structure of psychological well-being. Aldine, Chicago
Brislin RW (1980) Translation and content analysis of oral and written material. Handb Cross Cult Psychol 2:349–444
Bruk-Lee V, Spector PE (2006) The social stressors-counterproductive work behaviors link: are conflicts with supervisors and coworkers the same? J Occup Health Psychol 11:145–156. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.11.2.145
Chen S, Westman M, Eden D (2009) Impact of enhanced resources on anticipatory stress and adjustment to new information technology: a field-experimental test of conservation of resources theory. J Occup Health Psychol 14:219–230. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015282
Danna K, Griffin RW (1999) Health and well-being in the workplace: a review and synthesis of the literature. J Manag 25:357–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2063(99)00006-9
de Wit FRC, Greer LL, Jehn KA (2012) The paradox of intragroup conflict: a meta-analysis. J Appl Psychol 97:360–390. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024844
Diener E (1984) Subjective well-being. Psychol Bull 95:542–575. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.95.3.542
Dollard J, Doob L, Miller N, Mowrer O, Sears R (1939) Frustration and aggression. Yale University Press, New Haven
Eckenrode J (1984) Impact of chronic and acute stressors on daily reports of mood. J Pers Soc Psychol 46:907–918. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.46.4.907
Evans MG (1985) A Monte Carlo study of the effects of correlated method variance in moderated multiple regression analysis. Organ Behav Hum Decis 36:305–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(85)90002-0
Fida R, Paciello M, Tramontano C, Fontaine RG, Barbaranelli C, Farnese ML (2015) An integrative approach to understanding counterproductive work behavior: the roles of stressors, negative emotions, and moral disengagement. J Bus Ethics 130:131–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2209-5
Fox S, Spector PE (1999) A model of work frustration-aggression. J Organ Behav 20:915–931. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1099-1379(199911)20:6%3c915::aid-job918%3e3.0.co;2-6
Fox S, Spector PE, Miles D (2001) Counterproductive Work Behavior (CWB) in response to job stressors and organizational justice: some mediator and moderator tests for autonomy and emotions. J Vocat Behav 59:291–309. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.2001.1803
Fox S, Spector PE, Goh A, Bruursema K, Kessler SR (2012) The deviant citizen: measuring potential positive relations between counterproductive work behaviour and organizational citizenship behaviour. J Occup Organ Psychol 85:199–220. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8325.2011.02032.x
Fredrickson BL (2001) The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Am Psychol 56:218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
Giebels E, Janssen O (2005) Conflict stress and reduced well-being at work: the buffering effect of third-party help. Eur J Work Organ Psychol 14:137–155. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.602063
Gill H, Meyer JP, Lee K, Shin KH, Yoon CY (2011) Affective and continuance commitment and their relations with deviant workplace behaviors in Korea. Asia Pac J Manag 28:598–607. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-009-9165-0
Grandey AA, Dickter DN, Sin HP (2004) The customer is not always right: customer aggression and emotion regulation of service employees. J Organ Behav 25:397–418. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.252
Hobfoll SE (1989) Conservation of resources: a new attempt at conceptualizing stress. Am Psychol 44:513–524. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.44.3.513
Hobfoll SE (1998) Stress, culture, and community: the psychology and philosophy of stress. Plenum, New York
Hobfoll SE (2001) The influence of culture, community, and the nested‐self in the stress process: advancing conservation of resources theory. Appl Psychol 50:337–421. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00062
Hofmann W, Luhmann M, Fisher RR, Vohs KD, Baumeister RF (2014) Yes, but are they happy? Effects of trait self‐control on affective well-being and life satisfaction. J Pers 82:265–277. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12050
Ito TA, Cacioppo JT (2005) Variations on a human universal: individual differences in positivity offset and negativity bias. Cognit Emot 19:1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699930441000120
Jehn KA (1995) A multimethod examination of the benefits and detriments of intragroup conflict. Admin Sci Q 40:256–282. https://doi.org/10.2307/2393638
Johnson HM, Spector PE (2007) Service with a smile: do emotional intelligence, gender, and autonomy moderate the emotional labor process? J Occup Health Psychol 12:319–333. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.12.4.319
Jones DA (2009) Getting even with one’s supervisor and one’s organization: relationships among types of injustice, desires for revenge, and counterproductive work behaviors. J Organ Behav 30:525–542. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.563
Jordan PJ, Troth AC (2002) Emotional intelligence and conflict resolution: implications for human resource development. Adv Dev Hum Resour 4:62–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422302004001005
Kelloway EK, Loughlin C, Barling J, Nault A (2002) Self-reported counterproductive behaviors and organizational citizenship behaviors: separate but related constructs. Int J Select Assess 10:143–151. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2389.00201
Kilduff M, Chiaburu DS, Menges JI (2010) Strategic use of emotional intelligence in organizational settings: exploring the dark side. Res Organ Behav 30:129–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2010.10.002
Larsen RJ, Prizmic Z (2008) The regulation of emotional well-being: overcoming the hedonic treadmill. In: Eid M, Larsen RJ (eds) The science of subjective well-being. Guilford, New York, pp 258–289
Larsen JT, McGraw AP, Cacioppo JT (2001) Can people feel happy and sad at the same time? J Pers Soc Psychol 81:684–696. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.81.4.684
Lazarus RS (1995) Psychological stress in the workplace. In: Crandall R, Perrewé PL (eds) Occupational stress. Taylor and Francis, Washington, pp 3–14
Liu Y, Prati LM, Perrewé PL, Ferris GR (2008) The relationship between emotional resources and emotional labor: an exploratory study. Pers Individ Differ 38:2410–2439. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2008.00398.x
Medina FJ, Munduate L, Dorado MA, Martínez I, Guerra JM (2005) Types of intragroup conflict and affective reactions. J Manag Psychol 20:219–230. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940510589019
Mikolajczak M, Luminet O (2008) Trait emotional intelligence and the cognitive appraisal of stressful events: an exploratory study. Pers Individ Differ 44:1445–1453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2007.12.012
Mikolajczak M, Menil C, Luminet O (2007) Explaining the protective effect of trait emotional intelligence regarding occupational stress: exploration of emotional labour processes. J Res Pers 41:1107–1117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2007.01.003
Mount M, Ilies R, Johnson E (2006) Relationship of personality traits and counterproductive work behaviors: the mediating effects of job satisfaction. Pers Psychol 59:591–622. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2006.00048.x
Nunnally JC (1967) Psychometric theory. McGraw-Hill, New York
Obeidi A, Hipel KW, Kilgour DM (2005) The role of emotions in envisioning outcomes in conflict analysis. Group Decis Negot 14:481–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10726-005-9004-8
O’Boyle E, Humphrey RH, Pollack JM, Hawver TH, Story P (2011) The relation between emotional intelligence and job performance: a meta-analysis. J Organ Behav 32:788–818. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.714
O’Boyle EH, Forsyth DR, Banks GC, McDaniel MA (2012) A meta-analysis of the dark triad and work behavior: a social exchange perspective. J Appl Psychol 97:557–579. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025679
Oh IS, Charlier SD, Mount MK, Berry CM (2014) The two faces of high self-monitors: chameleonic moderating effects of self-monitoring on the relationships between personality traits and counterproductive work behaviors. J Organ Behav 35:92–111. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1856
Ong AD, Bergeman CS, Bisconti TL, Wallace KA (2006) Psychological resilience, positive emotions, and successful adaptation to stress in later life. J Pers Soc Psychol 91:730–749. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.91.4.730
Ormel J (1983) Neuroticism and well-being inventories: measuring traits or states? Psychol Med 13:165–176. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291700050170
Pelled LH, Eisenhardt KM, Xin KR (1999) Exploring the black box: an analysis of work group conflict, and performance. Admin Sci Q 44:1–28. https://doi.org/10.2307/2667029
Penney LM, Spector PE (2002) Narcissism and counterproductive work behavior: do bigger egos mean bigger problems? Int J Select Assess 10:126–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2389.00199
Petrides KV, Furnham A (2003) Trait emotional intelligence: behavioral validation of emotional recognition and reactivity to mood induction. Eur J Personal 17:39–57. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.466
Petrides KV, Vernon PA, Schermer JA, Veselka L (2011) Trait emotional intelligence and the dark triad traits of personality. Twin Res Hum Genet 14:35–41. https://doi.org/10.1375/twin.14.1.35
Plocharczyk L (2013) Managing conflict and incivility in academic libraries. In: Blessinger K, Hrycaj P (eds) Workplace culture in academic libraries: the early 21st century. Chandos Publishing, Oxford, pp 307–319
Podsakoff PM, MacKenzie SB, Lee JY, Podsakoff NP (2003) Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. J Appl Psychol 88:879–903. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879
Porath CL, Erez A (2007) Does rudeness really matter? The effects of rudeness on task performance and helpfulness. Acad Manag J 50:1181–1197. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2007.20159919
Preacher KJ, Rucker DD, Hayes AF (2007) Assessing moderated mediation hypotheses: theory, methods, and prescriptions. Multivar Behav Res 42:185–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/00273170701341316
Ruiz JI (2007) Emotional climate in organizations: applications in Latin American prisons. J Soc Iss 63:289–306. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2007.00509.x
Sevdalis N, Petrides KV, Harvey N (2007) Trait emotional intelligence and decision-related emotions. Pers Individ Differ 42:1347–1358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2006.10.012
Shao R, Skarlicki DP (2014) Service employees’ reactions to mistreatment by customers: a comparison between North America and East Asia. Pers Psychol 67:23–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12021
Siemsen E, Roth A, Oliveira P (2010) Common method bias in regression models with linear, quadratic, and interaction effects. Organ Res Methods 13:456–476. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428109351241
Sliter MT, Pui SY, Sliter KA, Jex SM (2011) The differential effects of interpersonal conflict from customers and coworkers: trait anger as a moderator. J Occup Health Psychol 16:424–440. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023874
Sliter M, Sliter K, Jex S (2012) The employee as a punching bag: the effect of multiple sources of incivility on employee withdrawal behavior and sales performance. J Organ Behav 33:121–139. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.767
Spector PE, Fox S (2002) An emotion-centered model of voluntary work behavior: some parallels between counterproductive work behavior and organizational citizenship behavior. Hum Resour Manag Rev 12:269–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-4822(02)00049-9
Spector PE, Fox S (2005) A model of counterproductive work behavior. In: Fox S, Spector PE (eds) Counterproductive workplace behavior: investigations of actors and targets. American Psychological Association, Washington, pp 151–174
Spector PE, Fox S, Penney LM, Bruursema K, Goh A, Kessler S (2006) The dimensionality of counterproductivity: are all counterproductive behaviors created equal? J Vocat Behav 68:446–460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2005.10.005
Sprung JM, Jex SM (2012) Work locus of control as a moderator of the relationship between work stressors and counterproductive work behavior. Int J Stress Manag 19:272–291. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030320
Swinkels A, Giuliano TA (1995) The measurement and conceptualization of mood awareness: monitoring and labeling one’s mood states. Pers Soc Psychol B 21:934–949. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167295219008
Tett RP, Fox KE, Wang A (2005) Development and validation of a self-report measure of emotional intelligence as a multidimensional trait domain. Pers Soc Psychol B 31:859–888. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167204272860
van den Bos K, Poortvliet PM, Maas M, Miedema J, van den Ham EJ (2005) An enquiry concerning the principles of cultural norms and values: the impact of uncertainty and mortality salience on reactions to violations and bolstering of cultural worldviews. J Exp Soc Psychol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2004.06.001
Van Gelderen B, Heuven E, Van Veldhoven M, Zeelenberg M, Croon M (2007) Psychological strain and emotional labor among police-officers: a diary study. J Vocat Behav 71:446–459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2007.09.001
Van Katwyk PT, Fox S, Spector PE, Kelloway EK (2000) Using the job-related affective well-being scale (JAWS) to investigate affective response to work stressors. J Occup Health Psychol 5:219–230. https://doi.org/10.1037//1076-8998.5.2.219
Waltz M, Badura B (1988) Subjective health, intimacy, and perceived self-efficacy after heart attack: predicting life quality five years afterwards. Soc Indic Res 20:303–332. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302401
Westman M, Hobfoll SE, Chen S, Davidson OB, Laski S (2004) Organizational stress through the lens of Conservation of Resources (COR) theory. In: Perrewé PL, Ganster DC (eds) Exploring interpersonal dynamics, vol 4. Emerald Group Publishing, Bingley, pp 167–220. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1479-3555(04)04005-3
Winardi MA, Prentice C, Weaven S (2022) Systematic literature review on emotional intelligence and conflict management. J Glob Sch Mark Sci 32:372–397. https://doi.org/10.1080/21639159.2020.1808847
Wong CS, Law KS (2002) The effect of leader and follower emotional intelligence on performance and attitude: an explorative study. Leadersh Q 13:243–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1048-9843(02)00099-1
Wong CS, Wong P, Law KS (2005) The interaction effect of emotional intelligence and emotional labor on job satisfaction: a test of Holland’s classification of occupations. In: Hartel CEJ, Zerbe WJ, Ashkanasy NM (eds) Emotions in organizational behavior. Erlbaum, Mahwah, pp 235–250
Wright TA, Cropanzano R (1998) Emotional exhaustion as a predictor of job performance and voluntary turnover. J Appl Psychol 83:486–493. https://doi.org/10.1037//0021-9010.83.3.486
Xu S, Wang Q, Liu C, Li Y, Ouyang K (2013) Content and construct of counterproductive work behavior in a Chinese context. Soc Behav Pers 41:921–932. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2013.41.6.921
Yang J, Mossholder KW (2004) Decoupling task and relationship conflict: the role of intragroup emotional processing. J Organ Behav 25:589–605. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.258
Zhang X, Cao Q, Tjosvold D (2011) Linking transformational leadership and team performance: a conflict management approach. J Manag Stud 48:1586–1611. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00974.x
Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (2015) Getting under the skin of workplace conflict: tracing the experiences of employees. http://www.cipd.co.uk/binaries/getting-under-skin-workplace-conflict_2015-tracing-experiences-employees.pdf
Clark MA (2010) Why do employees behave badly? An examination of the effects of mood, personality, and job demands on counterproductive work behavior. Dissertation, Wayne State University
Fox S, Spector PE, Goh A, Bruursema K (2003) Voluntary work behavior: exploring parallels between counterproductive work behavior and organizational citizenship behavior. In: Greenberg J (Chair) Vital but neglected topics in workplace research. Symposium conducted at the 18th annual conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Orlando, FL
Miner AG (2001) Experience sampling events, moods, behaviors, and performance at work. Dissertation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Society for Human Resource Management (2020) SHRM survey: political volatility at work increases while more than half of organizations are offering paid time off to vote. https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/press-room/press-releases/pages/shrm-survey-political-volatility-at-work-increases-while-more-than-half-of-organizations-are-offering-paid-time-off-to-vote.aspx
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Appendices
Appendix: Items for counterproductive work behavior
Respondents answered the following statements ranging from 1 = never through 9 = extremely often.
Counterproductive work behavior directed toward individuals (CWBI)
-
1.
Acted rudely toward someone on my team.
-
2.
Gossiped about someone on my team.
-
3.
Said something harmful to someone on my team.
-
4.
Publicly embarrassed someone on my team.
-
5.
Cursed at someone at work.
Counterproductive work behavior directed toward the organization (CWBO)
-
1.
Dragged out work in order to get overtime pay.
-
2.
Covered up (or reported to supervisors by minimizing) my mistakes related to a task.
-
3.
Worked at my discretion ignoring the implicit or explicit rules of my team.
-
4.
Intentionally worked slowly compared to my abilities.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Choi, Y., Yoon, D.J., Lee, J.D. et al. Relationship conflict and counterproductive work behavior: the roles of affective well-being and emotional intelligence. Rev Manag Sci 18, 1129–1148 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-023-00642-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-023-00642-z