Although the important influence of anger expression on employee unethical behavior has been confirmed by many studies, little is known about the influence of family members’ anger expression on employee unethical behavior. Based on the emotions as social information theory, this study aims to explore the mechanisms underlying the effects of spousal anger expression for family (SAEF), as a social information, on employees’ ethical decision-making (i.e., unethical pro-family behavior; UPFB) via inferential processes (family identification) and affective reactions (guilt for family) respectively. Accordingly, two studies were conducted to test the hypotheses postulated. Study 1 (experimental study) showed that SAEF exerts a significant positive impact on employees’ UPFB, whereas family identification and guilt for family play mediating roles in the relationship respectively. Study 2 (multi-wave and multi-source field study) confirmed the findings of Study 1 and found that family motivation can strengthen the positive relationship between SAEF and family identification. The findings deepen the understanding of the complex interplay between work-family dynamics and unethical behavior, highlighting the ethical dilemmas faced by employees balancing professional responsibilities and family demands.
