Within an organization, which type of emotion is most likely to spread quickly and widely among members?

• A. Neutral emotions such as indifference
• B. Negative emotions such as anger and fear
• C. Positive emotions such as joy and excitement
• D. Complex emotions such as nostalgia

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of emotional contagion, which refers to the phenomenon where emotions spread from one person to another within a group or organization.
2. Recognize that emotions with high arousal levels tend to spread more quickly and widely because they trigger stronger reactions and attention among individuals.
3. Identify that negative emotions such as anger and fear are typically high-arousal emotions, which makes them more likely to be noticed and shared among members of an organization.
4. Contrast this with neutral emotions like indifference, which have low arousal and thus are less likely to spread, and positive emotions like joy and excitement, which also spread but often less rapidly than intense negative emotions.
5. Conclude that within an organization, negative emotions such as anger and fear are most likely to spread quickly and widely due to their high arousal and impact on group dynamics.