Dual tuning

Abstract

While research on affect in organizations has flourished, affect has tended to be approached in a piecemeal or asymmetrical fashion. Traditionally, researchers have focused on potential benefits of positive affect or potential downsides of negative affect. This paper suggests that both positive and negative affect are functional and adaptive and should be considered in tandem or from a dual-tuning perspective (George & Zhou, 2007). Positive and negative emotions are automatically and adaptively triggered in response to stimuli that have implications for well-being. Evolutionary psychology, the social-functionalist perspective, the nature of organizing, antecedents of emotions, emotional ambivalence, and the positivity offset and negativity bias all suggest that positive and negative emotions should be considered from a dual-tuning perspective. The effects of positive and negative mood on cognitive processes, motivation, and effort support a dual-tuning approach to mood. Implications of a dual-tuning approach for understanding affect in organizations are discussed.