It's time to move over. A new study has found that sitting next to your boss may have a negative effect on the quality of your work.

是时候坐得远一点了。一项新研究发现，坐在老板旁边会让你的工作质量下降。

Researchers in the Netherlands found that physical distance is a key factor in whether or not the bad behaviour of bosses spreads to their employees.

荷兰研究者发现，物理距离是决定老板的不良行为是否会传染给员工的关键因素。

In a series of studies, the researchers found that participants were more likely to treat others unfairly and act unethically when in the close proximity² to their bosses.

一系列研究发现，被调查者坐得越靠近上司，他们越有可能对待他人厚此薄彼，行为上也不够厚道。

Scientists at the Rotterdam School of Management, led by Gijs van Houwelingen, created five experimental simulations to test the relationship between physical distance and office conduct.

在盖斯·凡·侯文林根带领下，鹿特丹管理学院的科学家们创造五种实验模型来测试物理距离和办公室行为之间的关系。

'If someone kicks a dog right in front of you, it'll make you very mad,' van Houwelingen told Co.Design.

“假设有人在你面前踹了狗一脚，你会觉得受不了，”凡·侯文林根告诉设计公司。

'But if you hear about someone somewhere in the world kicking a dog, you probably won't feel as mad about it.'

“但是你要是听到有人在其他地方踹狗，你大概不会有这种难受的感觉。”

Distance can cause a person to become emotionally detached from a particular situation.

距离可以让一个人在情感上脱离某个特定的场景。

The team created a simulation in which 150 undergrad business students played the role of middle manager with two subordinate employees and a boss, according to Co.Design.

设计公司透露，这个团队创造了一个模型，150个本科商学院学生在实验中扮演中层经理的角色，上有一名老板下有两名员工。

In this simulation, the participants were told different locations for their bosses' whereabouts, either in the same room, or across campus.

在情景中，参与者被告知老板所在的不同位置，要么在同一个房间，要么距离较远。

The researchers then gave assignments to the participants, and sent them 'fair' and 'unfair' messages, to either explain the decision reasonably or make it appear as though the boss was just passing down unwanted work.

研究者向参与者分发任务，分别告诉他们“公平的”和“不公平的”信息，有些是合理地解释决定，有些（让它）看起来好像老板只交代让人讨厌的工作。

The participants were then asked their opinions on the boss' behaviour, and told to decide how they would treat their own employees.

随后参与者被问及他们对老板行为的看法，并得知自己要决定如何对待下属员工。

Participants who were physically³ near, or personally identified with the boss, were more likely to exhibit the same bad behaviour.

坐得离领导越近、或者越认同领导的参与者，越有可能被传染上同样的不良行为。

'We saw that the more distant someone is, they're less likely to identify with their boss or describe themselves in relation to their boss,' van Houwelingen says.

“我们看到坐得越远的参与者，他们越不可能认同老板或描述自己和老板的关系，”凡·侯文林根说。

Spatial⁴ distance proved to be a major factor, but the research suggests there are other contributors that determine ethical¹ behaviour.

空间距离被证明是一个主要因素，但研究者暗示还有其他因素共同决定道德行为。

People who feel the need to belong to a social group will be more likely to copy the conduct of others.

觉得（自己）需要找到社会归属群体的人将更有可能复制其他人的行为。

Van Houwelingen suggests that offices find a balance that allows for physical distance along with collaboration⁵ and strong relationships between employees.

凡·侯文林根建议办公室（人际）距离应该找到一个平衡点，既能够相互合作又能维持员工间的牢固关系。

'With distance, you get detached from what happens around you,' van Houwelingen says. 'You might be more likely to evaluate behaviour on its own merits.'

“有了距离，你就能从身边（发生的）诸事抽离而出，”凡·侯文林根说。“你更有可能根据它本身的优点来评价行为。”