Disrupting the Chain of Displaced Aggression: A Review and Agenda for Future Research

Displaced aggression refers to instances in which a person redirects their harm-doing behavior from a primary to a secondary, substitute target. Since the publication of the first empirical article in 1948, there has been a noticeable surge in research referencing this theory in both management and psychology journals. This trend highlights the continuing relevance of displaced aggression research and its applicability to other disciplinary fields (e.g., criminology, hospitality management, information systems, and tourism). Despite the ubiquity of displaced aggression theory, however, there persists a notable lack of clarity and consensus regarding its fundamental principles, moderating factors, and underlying mechanisms. In light of these limitations, we provide a systematic and interdisciplinary review of displaced aggression theory in work settings with three key aims. First, our review offers foundational knowledge that helps unify the diverse ways in which scholars from varied disciplinary backgrounds have applied, interpreted, and operationalized displaced aggression. Second, inspired by the I³ model, we introduce an overarching theoretical framework to coherently and parsimoniously organize the displaced aggression literature. Lastly, to move the field forward, we propose a promising agenda for future research that focuses on important issues emerging from our review.