Rude behavior on the rise, especially at work: report

New study find rude behavior is on the rise

A new study says rude behavior is on the rise, so FOX 5's Sierra Fox spoke to people in the DMV to see if they agree.

MCLEAN, Va. - It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but the holiday season may not feel as cheerful as usual.

A new study by a Georgetown University professor says rude behavior is on the rise, and like the common cold, it's contagious and spreading quickly.

Dr. Christine Porath, the professor who did the study, says it's taking a mental and physical toll on us all.

"It primes us, so we may not realize it," she explained. "We may not feel good, we may be frustrated or angry or on edge, so we tend to act on that in ways we might not mean to and certainly would not be proud of, but it happens."

Dr. Porath interviewed more than 2,000 people around the world about how they experience incivility, which is rude, disrespectful, and insensitive behavior. She titled her findings, "Frontline Work When Everyone is Angry." The results show:

76% of respondents experience incivility at least once a month.
78% witness incivility at work at least once a month, and 70% witness it at least two to three times a month.
73% report that it’s not unusual for customers to behave badly.
78% believe that bad behavior from customers toward employees is more common than it was five years ago.
66% believe bad behavior from customers toward other customers is more common than it was five years ago.

So why are people acting out? Dr. Poarath's research points a finger at stress most recently with the pandemic due to the uncertainty, money problems, and even divisive politics have made people upset. But those aren't the only triggers.

Columbia, Maryland ranks among happiest cities in US, according to WalletHub report

Lockdowns and working from home took away a sense of connection and community with others that helps us all stay on our best behavior.

Meanwhile, technology and social media have made it easier for trolls online to be mean without facing consequences because people can hide behind screens.

Unfortunately, Dr. Porath says the rude behavior will get worse before it starts to die down, and it will take years to fix.