The Gendered Nature of Emotional Ambivalence Towards Coworkers and Its Relational Consequences
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ORIGINAL PAPER
The Gendered Nature of Emotional Ambivalence Towards Coworkers and Its Relational Consequences Xiaoxi Chang 1
&
Jana L. Raver 1
# Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019
Abstract Coworkers are a source of mixed emotions yet research on emotional ambivalence—i.e., the co-existing and intertwining positive and negative feelings toward a subject—toward peers in work groups is scarce. We draw from the literature on competitive dynamics in peer relationships to explore how women and men’s emotional ambivalence is elicited by the presence of a “tall poppy,” a peer who disproportionately and visibly performs better relative to his or her peers. Informed by role congruity theory, we assert that men are socialized into peer relationships that embrace competition and camaraderie, so men tend to exhibit emotional ambivalence toward peers regardless of whether the focal coworker is a “tall poppy.” By contrast, women are socialized into a gender role that emphasizes harmony and equality so the presence of a “tall poppy” violates the female gender role, thereby eliciting more emotional ambivalence compared to when women work with equally matched peers. Experiencing emotional ambivalence then results in attempts to relationally distance oneself from the source of mixed emotions (e.g., ostracism, withdrawal). Two experimental studies—a behavioral laboratory study with students and an online experiment with working adults—both provided full support for these theorized relationships. Keywords High performers . Emotional ambivalence . Gender . Relational distancing . Group
Relationships with coworkers are affectively complex. On the one hand, coworkers in one’s work group are a potential source of positive emotions and experiences. People experience positive emotions as they bond with peers over a shared identity (Ashmore, Deaux, & Mclaughlin-Volpe, 2004; Leyens et al., 2001), which produces relational bonding behaviors such as providing social support and helping (Glomb, Bhave, Miner, & Wall, 2011; Halbesleben & Wheeler, 2012). On the other hand, coworkers in one’s work group are also a potential source of negative emotions and experiences because one must work collaboratively despite contending for This research was supported by funding provided by Smith School of Business, Queen’s University. We would like to thank Laura Rees and Julian Barling for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript. Portions of this manuscript were presented at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2016 and 2017 annual conference. * Xiaoxi Chang [email protected] 1
Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, Goodes Hall, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
managerial recognition (Katz & Kahn, 1978; Kelley & Thibaut, 1978; Komorita & Parks, 1995). These peers may thus be seen as threatening to one’s own success, leading one to engage in relational distancing behaviors such as competing and interpersonal mistreatment (Call, Nyberg, & Thatcher, 2015; Campbell, Liao,
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