Team moral emotions in response to team performance.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to uncover team performance (i.e., team rank and team cheating) influences on team moral emotions. Results from 47 student teams indicated that team rank was positively related to team pride and was negatively related to team shame and team guilt. Results also indicated that the relationship between team cheating and team moral emotions was moderated by the level of team perceived similarity, such that teams with high levels of perceived similarity were more likely to show team pride and less likely to show team shame and team guilt when they cheated. Conversely, teams with low levels of team perceived similarity were more likely to show team shame and team guilt when they cheated. Interestingly, in cheating situations high perceived similarity not only facilitates pride but it also triggers less shame and guilt. Implications are discussed from the perspectives of group identity and intergroup emotions theories.