Evidence of mood linkage in work groups
Abstract
Two studies investigated whether people's moods are influenced by the collective mood of their work teammates over time. In the first study, 65 community nurses in 13 teams recorded their moods and hassles daily for 3 weeks. A pooled time-series analysis showed a significant association between the nurses' moods and the collective mood of their teammates, which did not depend on shared hassles. The association was greater for nurses who were older, were more committed to their team, perceived a better team climate, or experienced fewer hassles with teammates. In Study 2, a team of 9 accountants rated their own moods and the moods of their teammates 3 times a day for 4 weeks using pocket computers. The accountants' moods and their judgments of their teammates' moods were significantly associated with the collective mood of their teammates. The findings suggest that people's mood at work can become linked to the mood of their teammates.
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People's moods can be influenced by the collective mood of their teammates at work in such a way that moods appear to be linked over time within teams.
“Totterdell et al. (1998, p. 1513) showed that 'people's moods can be influenced by the collective mood of their teammates at work in such a way that moods appear to be linked over time within teams.'”
From The Groupfeel syndrome: a theory of a counterproductive group emotion (2026) · cites this paper as Totterdell et al., 1998
Emotional states spread in teams of nurses and accountants.
“Early field studies revealed that emotional states spread in teams of nurses and accountants”
From The Social Effects of Emotions (2022) · cites this paper as Totterdell et al. 1998
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“Totterdell et al. (1998, p. 1513) showed that “people’s moods can be influenced by the collective mood of their teammates at work in such a way that moods appear to be linked over time within teams.””
- Authors
- Totterdell, P., Kellett, S., Teuchmann, K., & Briner, R. B.
- Affiliations
- University of Sheffield (GB)
- ORCID
- Totterdell, Peter
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 1998-06
- Volume
- 74
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1504-1515
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2082957006
- Cited by
- 368
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 8.36
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Team Dynamics and Performance
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
- Keywords
- collective mood, work teams, team climate, team commitment, community nurses, accountants, time series analysis
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