Abstract
Expressing anger can signal that someone is certain and competent, thereby increasing their social influence—but does this strategy work for everyone? After assessing gender- and race-based emotion stereotypes (Study 1), we assessed the effect of expressing anger on social influence during group decision making as a function of gender (Studies 2–3) and race (Study 3). Participants took part in a computerized mock jury decision-making task, during which they read scripted comments ostensibly from other jurors. A “holdout” juror always disagreed with the participant and four other confederate group members. We predicted that the contextual factor of who expressed emotion would trump what was expressed in determining whether anger is a useful persuasion strategy. People perceived all holdouts expressing anger as more emotional than holdouts who expressed identical arguments without anger. Yet holdouts who expressed anger (versus no anger) were less effective and influential when they were female (but not male, Study 2) or Black (but not White, Study 3)—despite having expressed identical arguments and anger. Although anger expression made participants perceive the holdouts as more emotional regardless of race and gender, being perceived as more emotional was selectively used to discredit women and African Americans. These diverging consequences of anger expression have implications for societally important group decisions, including life-and-death decisions made by juries.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 57-79 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | Group Processes and Intergroup Relations |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2019 |
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Keywords
- anger
- discrimination
- emotion
- gender
- jury decision making
- minority influence
- persuasion
- race
- social influence
- stereotyping
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Psychology
- Cultural Studies
- Communication
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
- Sociology and Political Science
Cite this
Women and African Americans are less influential when they express anger during group decision making. / Salerno, Jessica; Peter-Hagene, Liana C.; Jay, Alexander C.V.
In: Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, Vol. 22, No. 1, 01.01.2019, p. 57-79.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Women and African Americans are less influential when they express anger during group decision making
AU - Salerno, Jessica
AU - Peter-Hagene, Liana C.
AU - Jay, Alexander C.V.
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Expressing anger can signal that someone is certain and competent, thereby increasing their social influence—but does this strategy work for everyone? After assessing gender- and race-based emotion stereotypes (Study 1), we assessed the effect of expressing anger on social influence during group decision making as a function of gender (Studies 2–3) and race (Study 3). Participants took part in a computerized mock jury decision-making task, during which they read scripted comments ostensibly from other jurors. A “holdout” juror always disagreed with the participant and four other confederate group members. We predicted that the contextual factor of who expressed emotion would trump what was expressed in determining whether anger is a useful persuasion strategy. People perceived all holdouts expressing anger as more emotional than holdouts who expressed identical arguments without anger. Yet holdouts who expressed anger (versus no anger) were less effective and influential when they were female (but not male, Study 2) or Black (but not White, Study 3)—despite having expressed identical arguments and anger. Although anger expression made participants perceive the holdouts as more emotional regardless of race and gender, being perceived as more emotional was selectively used to discredit women and African Americans. These diverging consequences of anger expression have implications for societally important group decisions, including life-and-death decisions made by juries.
AB - Expressing anger can signal that someone is certain and competent, thereby increasing their social influence—but does this strategy work for everyone? After assessing gender- and race-based emotion stereotypes (Study 1), we assessed the effect of expressing anger on social influence during group decision making as a function of gender (Studies 2–3) and race (Study 3). Participants took part in a computerized mock jury decision-making task, during which they read scripted comments ostensibly from other jurors. A “holdout” juror always disagreed with the participant and four other confederate group members. We predicted that the contextual factor of who expressed emotion would trump what was expressed in determining whether anger is a useful persuasion strategy. People perceived all holdouts expressing anger as more emotional than holdouts who expressed identical arguments without anger. Yet holdouts who expressed anger (versus no anger) were less effective and influential when they were female (but not male, Study 2) or Black (but not White, Study 3)—despite having expressed identical arguments and anger. Although anger expression made participants perceive the holdouts as more emotional regardless of race and gender, being perceived as more emotional was selectively used to discredit women and African Americans. These diverging consequences of anger expression have implications for societally important group decisions, including life-and-death decisions made by juries.
KW - anger
KW - discrimination
KW - emotion
KW - gender
KW - jury decision making
KW - minority influence
KW - persuasion
KW - race
KW - social influence
KW - stereotyping
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85059450171&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85059450171&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1368430217702967
DO - 10.1177/1368430217702967
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85059450171
VL - 22
SP - 57
EP - 79
JO - Group Processes and Intergroup Relations
JF - Group Processes and Intergroup Relations
SN - 1368-4302
IS - 1
ER -