Abstract

In this chapter we examine the affective outcomes of the various workplace commitments an employee may hold. We begin by reviewing the role of affect in historical and current conceptualizations of commitment because the affective outcomes of commitment depend in part on how commitment is conceptualized and the extent to which commitment is viewed to contain affective elements. After exploring the extent to which affective concepts are implicitly or explicitly included in prior and current conceptualizations, we review the extant literature and summarize the available theory (for example, Affective Events Theory) and research examining the effects of commitments on affect-related constructs. Those constructs include job satisfaction, well-being, and motivation, as well as negative and positive affect, mood, emotions, and other affective experiences. We conclude by identifying a future research agenda for better incorporating advancements in affect-related research into commitment scholarship and furthering our understanding of those relationships.