City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2-2020 An Affective Events Theory Analysis of Conflict Perception Emergence Michael J. Covell The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3596 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] AN AFFECTIVE EVENTS THEORY ANALYSIS OF CONFLICT PERCEPTION EMERGENCE by MICHAEL J. COVELL A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Psychology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2020 ii © 2020 MICHAEL J. COVELL All Rights Reserved iii An Affective Events Theory Analysis of Conflict Perception Emergence by Michael J. Covell This manusc ript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Psychology in satisfaction of the disse rtation requi rement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Date Kristin Sommer Chair of Examining Committee Date Richard Bodnar Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Kristin Sommer Loren Naidoo Zhiqing Zhou Wei Wang Justin Storbeck THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iv ABSTRACT An Affective Events Theory Analysis of Conflict Perception Emergence by Michael J. Covell Advisor: Kristin Sommer Popular conceptualizations of conflict conflate conflict perception with other discrete constructs such as disagreement and emotions. This makes research using those conceptualizations difficult to interpret. I invoke affective events theory to describe how constructs conflated with conflict perception, as well as negative prescriptive expectancy violations (EVs), may collectively serve as antecedents to conflict perception. By reconceptualizing conflict perception as an evaluative judgment and distinguishing between episodic (short-term) and global (long-term) conflict perceptions, my model describes how episodic conflict perceptions cumulatively influence global conflict perceptions over time. Two types of events (disagreements and negative prescriptive EVs) were proposed to predict episodic conflict perceptions through motive inconsistent emotions. Disagreements were expected to positively predict episodic conflict perceptions when disagreement outcome favorability is low and negatively predict job satisfaction when disagreement outcome favorability is high. A pilot study provided initial support for the validity of the main study measures. Then, a three-phase longitudinal design was used to collect data from employed undergraduate participants reporting on supervisory relationships. In Phase 1, training for daily surveys was completed. In Phase 2, v participants completed ten daily self-report measures of negative prescriptive EVs, disagreements, outcome favorability, emotions, and episodic conflict perceptions. In Phase 3, global conflict perception and job satisfaction were assessed. This method allowed for an examination of multilevel emergence between repeated measures variables at Level 1 (negative prescriptive EVs, disagreements, motive inconsistent emotions, episodic conflict perceptions) and single measures variables at Level 2 (global conflict perception, job satisfaction). Data was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and multilevel regression. Results generally support the proposed model. However, the nature of the interactions between disagreements and outcome favorability on motive inconsistent emotions, motive consistent emotions, and on job satisfaction were different than expected. Implications and future directions are discussed. vi Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... vi Tables ...................................................................................................................................... viii Figures........................................................................................................................................ ix Appendices .................................................................................................................................. x An Affective Events Theory Analysis of Conflict Perception Emergence..................................... 1 Jehn’s Typology ............................................................................................................................ 6 Relationship Conflict .................................................................................................................. 7 Task and Process Conflict ........................................................................................................... 9 Conflated Constructs ................................................................................................................. 12 An Affective Events Theory Analysis ........................................................................................ 17 Conflict Perception as an Evaluative Judgment........................................................................ 20 Events ........................................................................................................................................ 24 Affective Reactions ................................................................................................................... 33 A Multilevel Model of Conflict Perception Emergence ........................................................... 39 Person-level Emergence............................................................................................................ 40 Pilot Study ................................................................................................................................... 44 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 45 Measures ................................................................................................................................... 45 Procedure .................................................................................................................................. 56 Results ....................................................................................................................................... 57 Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 59 Main Study .................................................................................................................................. 60 Design ....................................................................................................................................... 60 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 61 Measures ................................................................................................................................... 61 Procedure .................................................................................................................................. 66 Analyses ....................................................................................................................................... 69 Results .......................................................................................................................................... 71 Data Screening .......................................................................................................................... 72 Confirmatory Factor Analyses .................................................................................................. 73 Descriptive Statistics ................................................................................................................. 77 vii Hypotheses ................................................................................................................................ 78 Discussion .................................................................................................................................... 89 Overview of Findings ............................................................................................................... 91 Implications for Inconsistent Findings in Conflict Research .................................................. 100 Limitations and Future Directions .......................................................................................... 102 Practical Implications.............................................................................................................. 112 Broader Theoretical and Methodological Contributions ........................................................ 115 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 117 References .................................................................................................................................. 118 Tables ........................................................................................................................................