The impact of negative emotions on organizational citizenship behavior and counterproductive work behavior: a self-control perspective

Introduction: Negative emotions exert a significant influence on employee behaviors at work. Methods: Employing Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM), we examine the relationships among negative emotions, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) from the perspective of self-control. Specifically, this study focuses on ego depletion as the key psychological mechanism by which negative emotions affect OCB and CWB. The study also investigates the moderating effects of individual perceptions, specifically perceived organizational support (POS) and perceived coworker support (PCS). Results: Findings reveal that negative emotions decrease OCB and increase CWB by promoting ego depletion. POS plays a negative moderating role in the relationship between negative emotions and ego depletion, demonstrating a moderated mediating effect on the indirect influence of negative emotions on OCB and CWB via ego depletion. In contrast, the moderating effect of PCS is not significant. Discussion: This research not only elucidates the theoretical mechanisms underlying the impact of negative emotions on employee behaviors but also offers practical guidance for 2 managers seeking to mitigate the adverse effects of negative emotions and foster a positive organizational environment.