Entrepreneurial Cognition and Behaviour: The Antecedent Role of Affect

Abstract

Taking action in the entrepreneurial context is fraught with uncertainty, risk, affective responses, and time pressures. Each of these elements impacts entrepreneurs’ evaluative abilities and behaviour. This chapter examines the affective micro-foundations of entrepreneurial cognition and its impact on behaviour. Starting with recent research on mental health and entrepreneurship the chapter critically explores a number of perspectives to facilitate an understanding of the affective drivers shaping entrepreneurial behaviour. The literature on affect in the entrepreneurial context is examined, and a comprehensive conceptual framework is proposed incorporating both the antecedents and consequences of entrepreneurial affect. Specifically, fear is discussed as an operational example and the importance of attention is presented. The chapter concludes with an overview of the conceptual framework.

Appendix

Emotions, in contrast to mood states, are more ephemeral and usually respond to a particular situation, person, or event, involving cognitive appraisal, and specific action tendencies towards the environment (Frijda and Mesquita 1994; Lazarus 1993). However, both moods and emotions are inherently related affective experiences. In fact, one of the elements of emotions is “core affect”—a vague feeling of pleasure or displeasure, which has been considered analogous to mood states (Russell and Barrett 1999). In contrast to specific emotions, mood states may or may not always respond to a particular cause or stimulus (Weiss and Cropanzano 1996) and have the potential to influence thought processes and action in a subtle way, even without our conscious awareness (Forgas and George 2001). Generally speaking, mood states have been described as “feeling good” (i.e. positivemood) or “feeling bad” (i.e. negativemood) (Barsade and Gibson 2007).