Despite mounting evidence that creative deviance can foster innovation, we know surprisingly little about its social consequences in the workplace. Drawing upon cognitive appraisal theory, we propose and demonstrate that creative deviance acts as a double-edged sword in shaping observers' emotional and behavioral responses, contingent upon coworker trustworthiness. In Study 1, a scenario experiment (N = 246) reveals that creative deviance from coworkers with high trustworthiness elicits praising emotions, whereas similar behavior from coworkers with low trustworthiness triggers condemning emotions. Study 2, utilizing experience sampling methodology (N = 1,144), not only replicates these emotional reactions but further demonstrates their divergent behavioral consequences: praising emotions reduce workplace ostracism while condemning emotions increase it. These findings advance theory by revealing how creative deviance can paradoxically both strengthen and undermine workplace ostracism through distinct emotional mechanisms. Moreover, by identifying coworker trustworthiness as a crucial boundary condition, we reconcile conflicting perspectives on whether creative deviance benefits or harms organizations. This research provides important practical implications for managing creative deviance to harness its innovative potential while minimizing its social costs
