The_effects.pdf

THE EFFECTS OF ANGER IN THE WORKPLACE: WHEN, WHERE, AND WHY OBSERVING ANGER ENHANCES OR HINDERS PERFORMANCE Ella Miron-Spektor and Anat Rafaeli ABSTRACT Most anger research has adopted a within-person view, focusing on the effects of experienced anger on a person’s feelings, cognition, and behavior. Less research has examined the effects of anger expressed by one person on other people in the workplace. We review available literature on the interpersonal effects of anger and propose a theoretical framework that addresses two main questions (1) What mechanisms can explain the effects of observed anger on other people? and (2) What factors may strengthen or attenuate these effects? We propose that observed anger affects observers’ performance via emotional and cognitive routes that are interrelated, and that this effect depends on the properties of the expressed anger, the situation in which the anger occurs, and the task being performed by the observer. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, Volume 28, 153–178 Copyright r 2009 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited All rights of reproduction in any form reserved ISSN: 0742-7301/doi:10.1108/S0742-7301(2009)0000028007 153 INTRODUCTION Imagine that as you walk into your office one day you overhear a voice raised in anger. Alex is upbraiding Josh, a colleague of yours, for not replying to his emails and for missing an important deadline. You can tell that Alex is furious at Josh. You sit at your desk and try to focus on your work, which has nothing to do with Alex or Josh. Will your performance be affected by this overheard expression of anger? And what if you empathize with Alex or Josh? Most of us are occasionally exposed to expressions of anger by others at work. Anger, the most frequent negative emotion experienced in the workplace, is an intense and short-term feeling of displeasure, hostility, or antagonism toward someone or something, typically combined with an urge to attack or change another person’s