EMOTIONAL-REACTIONS AND STATUS IN GROUPS

Individuals' emotional reactions may play a role in the development an d maintenance of status hierarchies in groups. We propose that emotion al reactions compatible with status characteristics reduce status diff erences among group members, while incompatible emotional reactions in crease status differences. We rest our theory in four experiments usin g a variety of techniques. Results from all experiments support the th eory. In Study I, members of face-to-face groups were randomly assigne d the position of leader and they reported more positive emotion after group interaction than did other group members. Studies 2, 3, and 4 u sed a more controlled laboratory setting to show that participants' ne gative emotion increased their resistance to a partner's influence. Po sitive emotion decreased resistance. Also, effects of emotions combine d with effects of status information as predicted; this result suggest s the possibility of beneficial interventions in work groups.