{"title":"Is ambivalent emotion good or bad for creativity? A moderated mediation model of the new construct of emotional stability","authors":"Yan Li, Abdul Gaffar Khan, Sizhi Chen","doi":"10.1007/s10490-023-09929-x","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ambivalent situations activate ambivalent emotions (i.e., the simultaneous experience of discrete emotions such as happiness and sadness), which is a ubiquitous phenomenon in organizations. Yet, how and when does ambivalent emotion foster or impede creativity? Unfortunately, prior scholars have largely overlooked the consequences of ambivalent emotion. However, informational theories of emotion deem that ambivalent emotion stimulates more information, which facilitates creativity. On the other hand, another resource depletion perspective thinks ambivalence is a stressful situation that hinders creativity, which demands more psychological resources to identify and solve problems in a new way. Drawing from the lenses of conservation of resources theory (COR), informational theories of emotion, the theory of emotion regulation strategy, and the bifurcation model of affect, a moderated mediation model is developed and found where two facets (i.e., information searching and coding engagement and idea generation engagement) of creative process engagement mediate the association between ambivalent emotion and creativity, in which ambivalent emotion diminishes the two facets of creative process engagement so that results in undermined creativity. And one dimension (i.e., emotion threshold) of a new construct of emotional stability moderated the mediation effect of idea generation engagement in the process, such that this relationship is stronger when emotion threshold is high. This study also reveals that another dimension (i.e., emotion recovery) of the new emotional stability positively relates to creativity. We test and find support for our theorized hypotheses across two field studies using Chinese samples (<i>N</i> =294) and Bangladeshi samples (<i>N</i> =243 with multi-wave and multisource designs). The theoretical and practical implications of these findings in organizations, their plausible limitations, and future directions are addressed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8474,"journal":{"name":"Asia Pacific Journal of Management","volume":"42 2","pages":"595 - 631"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8000,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Asia Pacific Journal of Management","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10490-023-09929-x","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MANAGEMENT","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Ambivalent situations activate ambivalent emotions (i.e., the simultaneous experience of discrete emotions such as happiness and sadness), which is a ubiquitous phenomenon in organizations. Yet, how and when does ambivalent emotion foster or impede creativity? Unfortunately, prior scholars have largely overlooked the consequences of ambivalent emotion. However, informational theories of emotion deem that ambivalent emotion stimulates more information, which facilitates creativity. On the other hand, another resource depletion perspective thinks ambivalence is a stressful situation that hinders creativity, which demands more psychological resources to identify and solve problems in a new way. Drawing from the lenses of conservation of resources theory (COR), informational theories of emotion, the theory of emotion regulation strategy, and the bifurcation model of affect, a moderated mediation model is developed and found where two facets (i.e., information searching and coding engagement and idea generation engagement) of creative process engagement mediate the association between ambivalent emotion and creativity, in which ambivalent emotion diminishes the two facets of creative process engagement so that results in undermined creativity. And one dimension (i.e., emotion threshold) of a new construct of emotional stability moderated the mediation effect of idea generation engagement in the process, such that this relationship is stronger when emotion threshold is high. This study also reveals that another dimension (i.e., emotion recovery) of the new emotional stability positively relates to creativity. We test and find support for our theorized hypotheses across two field studies using Chinese samples (N =294) and Bangladeshi samples (N =243 with multi-wave and multisource designs). The theoretical and practical implications of these findings in organizations, their plausible limitations, and future directions are addressed.
期刊介绍:
The Asia Pacific Journal of Management publishes original manuscripts on management and organizational research in the Asia Pacific region, encompassing Pacific Rim countries and mainland Asia. APJM focuses on the extent to which each manuscript addresses matters that pertain to the most fundamental question: “What determines organization success?” The major academic disciplines that we cover include entrepreneurship, human resource management, international business, organizational behavior, and strategic management. However, manuscripts that belong to other well-established disciplines such as accounting, economics, finance, marketing, and operations generally do not fall into the scope of APJM. We endeavor to be the major vehicle for exchange of ideas and research among management scholars within or interested in the broadly defined Asia Pacific region.Key features include:
Rigor - maintained through strict review processes, high quality global reviewers, and Editorial Advisory and Review Boards comprising prominent researchers from many countries.
Relevance - maintained by its focus on key management and organizational trends in the region.
Uniqueness - being the first and most prominent management journal published in and about the fastest growing region in the world.
Official affiliation - Asia Academy of ManagementFor more information, visit the AAOM website:www.baf.cuhk.edu.hk/asia-aom/ Officially cited as: Asia Pac J Manag