From Bystander to Upstander: The Ripple Effects of Intervening in Workplace Aggression on Bystanders Themselves

Abstract: Workplace aggression remains a costly organizational issue. While bystander intervention is advocated for its potential to deter aggression and alleviate targets’ suffering, its impact on bystanders is overlooked. This research examines the consequences of two prototypical intervention behaviors—supporting targets and confronting perpetrators—drawing on the cost-benefit and social functional perspectives of emotion. We propose that engaging in these behaviors elicit both anxiety and pride, which influence bystanders’ future intervention intentions, work engagement, and social withdrawal. An anti-aggression climate is posited to moderate these emotional responses by reducing anxiety and enhancing pride. Two studies—a video vignette experiment and an eight-week experience-sampling study—revealed strong evidence that intervention behaviors evoke pride, especially in strong anti-aggression climates, subsequently fostering higher intentions to intervene, increased engagement, and reduced withdrawal. However, the effects on anxiety were mixed, with some evidence from Study 2 but limited support in Study 1.

Keywords: Workplace aggression, bystander intervention, pride, anxiety, anti-aggression climate