Contrary to popular belief, expressing anger in the workplace may not be the path to higher status and power, according to a new study by researchers at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Princeton University. Their findings, published in Frontiers in Social Psychology, challenge the long-held notion that anger can be a strategic tool for career advancement.
Previous research suggested that displaying anger could signal competence and leadership qualities, leading to increased respect and authority. However, this new study, conducted through four rigorous experiments, paints a different picture.
“We found that anger isn’t a catalyst for higher status in the workplace,” says Dr. Roni Porat, lead researcher from Hebrew University. “In fact, participants judged anger more negatively than other emotions like sadness.”
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The study participants, presented with scenarios involving workers expressing anger, sadness, or no emotion, consistently rated the angry workers as having lower status and deserving lower salaries. Interestingly, the only exception was when anger was directed at a clear wrongdoing by another person.
“Even though people might initially assume angry individuals have higher status,” explains Dr. Porat, “they ultimately perceive their anger as inappropriate, overreactive, and counterproductive. This leads to negative attitudes towards anger in the workplace, seen as harmful and unhelpful.”
The study also explored potential gender differences, as past research has shown women are often penalized for expressing anger while men are rewarded. However, the researchers found no significant difference in how anger was perceived from men or women.
“This finding might seem to contradict previous work,” acknowledges Dr. Porat, “but it’s possible that gender norms around anger expression have shifted over time, or that our study used different samples.”
Despite limitations, the study’s clear and consistent results challenge the conventional wisdom about anger as a beneficial emotion in the workplace. It highlights the importance of mindful communication and emotional regulation, even in frustrating situations, for those seeking career success.
