The Effect of expressing Emotions on perceived Individual and Group Social-status

Abstract

Previous research implicates that people ascribe higher status to someone who expresses anger in contrast to sadness. The present study is a conceptual replication and based on above findings and the prototypicality theory it is argued that this will also apply within an organizational setting. An employee communicating emotions will influence the perceived individual status, with anger increasing status and sadness decreasing the status. Moreover, an employee of high-status would be more prototypical of the organisation and therefore emotions are expected to have an effect on the perceived status of the organisation. Results indicated that anger increases the perceived status of an employee of low-status. Marginal effects were found for emotions on perceived group status, with anger resulting in higher status in comparison to sadness. These findings provide valuable information to effectively handle communicating emotions. The present study gives insights to how employees affect the name and perception of the organisation. Researching the effect of emotions on group status is new to the literature and results suggest that further research is needed.