- Responding to rudeness with rudeness is seen as more justified and moral when retaliatory
- Civil responses to rudeness are viewed most positively despite acceptance of retaliatory rudeness
- Study involved five experiments with nearly 850 participants conducted by Cornell scientists
Research suggests that responding to rudeness with rudeness can be perceived as more justified and moral, especially when it's a retaliatory response, Newsweek reported. This happens because it's seen as defending social norms or calling out bad behaviour. However, civil responses are still viewed most positively, but it doesn't mean we should encourage bad behaviour. It is simply judged less harshly in context.
The study suggests that it's okay to be rude when someone else initiates rudeness; it's seen as more acceptable to respond in kind. Also, responding rudely can be a way to address perceived injustices.
As per the report, the study, based on five experiments involving nearly 850 participants, was conducted by scientists from Cornell University. They analysed what people think when rudeness is already part of an interaction.
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The study suggested that people often react to rudeness because our brains are wired to respond defensively to perceived threats or insults. They also pointed out that rudeness can be a sign of deeper issues, such as stress, frustration or insecurity.
Although retaliatory rudeness is seen as more acceptable, scientists do not actually recommend it. The approval only applies when the response is directed at the original rude person, not when rudeness spreads to others.
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"People prefer retaliatory incivility to an instigator's incivility, seeing it as more right, just and moral," Merrick Osborne, who is the paper's author and Cornell professor of organised behaviour, said in a statement as quoted.
"Although the degree of incivility is the same, we theorise that, in retaliation, it's seen as helping to protect a group's norms and establish to the instigator that they did something wrong.
"There's more social value in being civil, but there can be social value in acting uncivilly, provided that it's retaliatory."
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