Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina.
J Appl Psychol. 2015 Mar;100(2):360-75. doi: 10.1037/a0037796. Epub 2014 Sep 22.
People often experience anxiety in the workplace. Across 6 studies, we show that anxiety, both induced and measured, can lead to self-interested unethical behavior. In Studies 1 and 2, we find that compared with individuals in a neutral state, anxious individuals are more willing (a) to participate in unethical actions in hypothetical scenarios and (b) to engage in more cheating to make money in situations that require truthful self-reports. In Studies 3 and 4, we explore the psychological mechanism underlying unethical behaviors when experiencing anxiety. We suggest and find that anxiety increases threat perception, which, in turn, results in self-interested unethical behaviors. Study 5 shows that, relative to participants in the neutral condition, anxious individuals find their own unethical actions to be less problematic than similar actions of others. In Study 6, data from subordinate-supervisor dyads demonstrate that experienced anxiety at work is positively related with experienced threat and unethical behavior. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.
人们在工作场所经常会感到焦虑。在 6 项研究中，我们表明，无论是诱发的还是测量到的焦虑，都会导致自私自利的不道德行为。在研究 1 和研究 2 中，我们发现与处于中性状态的个体相比，焦虑的个体更愿意（a）参与假设情景中的不道德行为，以及（b）在需要真实自我报告的情况下为了赚钱而进行更多的欺骗。在研究 3 和研究 4 中，我们探讨了焦虑时不道德行为的心理机制。我们提出并发现，焦虑会增加对威胁的感知，而这种感知反过来又会导致自私自利的不道德行为。研究 5 表明，与处于中性状态的参与者相比，焦虑的个体认为自己的不道德行为比他人的类似行为问题要小。在研究 6 中，来自下属-主管对的的数据表明，工作中经历的焦虑与经历的威胁和不道德行为呈正相关。我们讨论了我们研究结果的理论和实践意义。
