The Effects of Occupational Characteristics on the Experience and Expression of Anger in the Workplace

Abstract

This article examines the relationships among extensive interaction with others on the job, occupational status, and the experience and expression of anger in the workplace using data from the 1996 General Social Survey and occupational characteristic measures from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. The findings indicate that individuals who spend much of their time interacting with others at work report experiencing workplace anger more frequently than other workers. The expression of anger was found to be associated with interacting with people at work, occupational status, and relative status. Individuals who deal with people at work are likely to discuss their experienced anger with someone other than the anger target, whereas individuals working in highly esteemed occupations are more likely than lower status workers to confront the target of their anger directly.