Interpersonal aggression in work groups: Social influence, reciprocal, and individual effects

This cross-level study of 149 employees from 25 groups demonstrates the impact of group social context on individual interpersonal aggression. Extending the work of Robinson and O'Leary-Kelly (1998), results suggest that both being the target of aggression and the mean level of aggression in a work group (absent the target individual) are predictors of employees' reports of engaging in aggression. Effects persisted when individual differences related to aggression, demographics, and situational variables were controlled. Results suggest individual, reciprocal, and group influences.