When someone makes a nasty quip, cuts us off in traffic, ignores our suggestions, or takes credit for our work, we get mad, sad, and even angry. Rudeness, even just little, can really hurt. We know these reactions can be harmful, both to ourselves and those around us, but recent research suggests that the emotional reactions we have to rudeness tell only half of the story. There are cognitive effects we are not even aware of. In fact, this is what I study—how experiencing rudeness can damage performance by affecting our thinking and decision-making.
For example, in a recent study, my colleagues and I found that when people experience rudeness, they unknowingly become biased toward rude interpretations of social interactions. In other words, when we experience rudeness, we tend to think others are being rude to us as we go forward.
