On days when men experience a lot of stress at work, they feel worse and react by making negative online behavior, according to research. While men choose to vent these negative feelings online, women tend to seek support from their partner or friends.

The couples were asked how much work stress they had experienced that day (e.,g. a high workload or conflicts with colleagues), how they felt when they returned home and what behaviors they had put online during the evening (e.g., posting a negative reaction online).

On the days when they experienced a lot of stress at work, both men and women came home in anger. It is striking that men then express themselves more aggressively online. Men who felt angry with their homecoming reported having done more negative acts online, such as excluding or insulting others, posting negative comments and sending shameful photos or videos of someone.

Less Inhibited
Because we value our work and maintain it, it sometimes seems better not to express your frustrations directly to your work, your colleagues or your boss at work, according to the researchers. An online environment may offer a way out for some. Online we are not always immediately visible, and we often feel less inhibited in our actions. In other words, online we feel safer in ventilating our frustrations, and this is more the case for men than for women.

These verdicts are in line with previous research that shows that women more often seek support from their friends or partner to deal with the stress, while men more often topple their emotions, which in the long run provokes aggressive behavior. It is, therefore, possible that men suppress their anger against others at work or home, but then push them off online.

This study emphasizes the impact that works can have on our daily functioning and even on our behavior at home. It is therefore essential to pay enough attention to promoting a healthy working environment. Also, it is advisable to teach people how to deal with their negative feelings, to prevent them from being ventilated against others online, for example through online bullying.