Research from Liuba Belkin, professor of management, is featured in the Yahoo! News article, "Hot weather: Why it's normal to feel grumpy in the heat."
The research, led by Belkin, decided to test the theory that heat causes antisocial behavior.
The first study determined that retail employees were less likely to help customers as well as make suggestions and listen actively.
Further, Belkin concluded that simply thinking about a hot environment can lead to tiredness and a bad mood.
"The point of our study is that ambient temperature affects individual states that shape emotional and behavioral reactions," said Belkin. "So people help less in an uncomfortable environment, whatever the reason they come up with to justify why they cannot do something."
Read the full article on the Yahoo! News website.
Belkin's research interests focus on individual affective states and emotions in organizational settings. She specifically examines the role of felt and expressed positive emotions in negotiations, work trust relationships and the impact of organizational and societal-level contextual factors on employee and organizational functioning.