Rising senior Nick Dilley researched the spillover effect, a psychological phenomenon defined by someone’s emotions affecting their companions. He found that co-workers were easily able to influence one another’s moods.
But the spillover effect isn’t exclusive to workplace dynamics that were the focus of Dilley’s research — it also affects an undergraduate student’s academic life and is crucial to understanding conflict resolution strategies.
Work
Dilley found that negative conflict in an individual’s work and family lives resulted in increased stress for their co-workers. He also found that co-workers viewed those individuals as less of a leader after hearing about the conflict. Dilley said he’s seen the spillover effect bleed into his own work at an Olive Garden in his hometown of York, Pennsylvania.
“A lot of times people would call off of work or they’d be late or they’d be in a really bad mood just because of things that happened in the family domain, which is exactly what I’m looking at here,” Dilley said. “And because of the nature of a restaurant, where I was a waiter, if someone else was dropping behind because of issues with the family and it was affecting the workplace, it then affected other people.”
While not involved in Dilley’s research study, Reagan Sizemore, a rising sophomore at Elon University, said she often felt her co-workers’ mood influencing her while working as an office assistant for Elon University’s dean of student life.
“Any time my bosses were upset, it wascc just hard on me because I feed off people’s moods and I want us to all be goofy,” Sizemore said. “We’re just goofing, gaffing, we’re just having a good time. But people aren’t always like that, and that’s understandable. But it’s hard when I’m trying to save the mood and get back to what we were yesterday.”
Academic
Diane Quinn, professor of psychology at the University of Connecticut, found that the spillover effect also affects academic relationships. She wrote about the concept in a 2023 National Library of Medicine paper.
“Students’ and roommates’ fall and spring GPAs hcorrelated hhhwith hheach other, even controlling for standardized test scores,” Quinn wrote.
As a student who is less academically inclined, Sizemore said, she has felt the spillover effect in her time at Elon University. It’s extremely prevalent when she’s with one of her friends, an individual who constantly pushes Sizemore to achieve more academically.
“She’s very academically inclined and she is always like, ‘Reagan, come on, what’s wrong with you, girl? Like, get it together.’ And, in a lot of cases, I need that,” Sizemore said. “Someone needs to tell me, ‘Get out of bed and do your homework. You don’t just get to skip it.’ But also, sometimes it’s like, ‘We’re not the same.’”
While friendships may lead to conflict, they can also help academic performance. In a 2023 article published in the National Library of Medicine, researchers discovered friendship’s ability to lift peers up and create an ambitious atmosphere.
“Friendships in academic settings can significantly impact student performance by fostering a supportive environment that encourages collaboration and knowledge-sharing,” the article said.
Conflict resolution strategies
Despite the type of conflict, it can be beneficial to learn settlement strategies so both parties reach a mutual understanding. Specifically, Sizemore said she believes communication greatly affects companions’ future relationship.
“I wish I just would have been more receptive,” Sizemore said. “A big problem that I see in my family is that we argue to win, we don’t argue to solve. That’s what conflict should be, finding a resolution.”
Dilley said conflict altogether is unavoidable so the best someone can do is understand the impact their interactions can have on other people.
“Just be conscientious of what you’re bringing into this space,” Dilley said. “Everyone’s got different issues. Everyone has different things that they’re dealing with. But how you handle that and how you interact with others during that is what’s important.”
Arti Jain
Arti Jain lives in St. Louis and attends Ladue Horton Watkins High School. She’s been an avid reader and writer since third grade, often devouring a book in mere hours. Next year, Arti will be the executive editor-in-chief of her school’s news site, Ladue Publications, leading 50 staffers in producing the website, newsmagazine, magazine and literary magazine. She also works a part-time job at Meyers-Okohson Political Consulting, is a member of her speech & debate team and serves on the Ladue Leadership Council. In her free time, Arti enjoys Bharatanatyam dance (an Indian classical style) and playing the violin. Arti hopes to pursue a career in journalism, specifically focusing on underrepresented and diverse groups.
Katelyn Ranheim
Katelyn Ranheim was born in China and adopted at the age of 4. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, and attends Leesville Road High School. She is an editor of the literary magazine, The Crescendo, where she assists in assembling a spring and fall magazine edition of poetry, prose, writing and artwork from her fellow students. She is an active member of her high school symphonic band, in which she plays the euphonium and was awarded the Noah David Spivey Heart of an Overcomer Award as a first-year student. Outside the classroom, Katelyn enjoys working as a summer camp counselor and childcare provider, reading, horseback riding, and spending time with her family.