If you Fight with Me, I'll Get Mad! A Social Model of Entrepreneurial Affect

Abstract

Although studies have highlighted economic and psychological antecedents of negative affect, social antecedents have been neglected. Building on attribution theory, we distinguish between relationship and task conflict to investigate the generation of negative affect during entrepreneurial team tasks including the team members’ context in terms of uncertainty and satisfaction with the team. Two studies, in the field and in the laboratory, highlight the importance of social contexts: while uncertainty attenuates negative affective reactions to conflict, satisfaction with the team magnifies them. We discuss our contributions for research on affect, conflict, uncertainty, and satisfaction with the team in entrepreneurial contexts.