Emotions Associated with Verbal Aggression Expression and Suppression

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated the negative consequences of receiving verbally aggressive messages; however, the consequences of verbal aggression for message senders are less clear. This study examined the emotional experience of expressing and suppressing verbal aggression within interpersonal encounters. Exposure to family verbal aggression in childhood also was examined as an individual difference relevant to the emotional experience of verbal aggression in adulthood. One hundred and nine college-aged students provided open-ended accounts of provocative situations in which they expressed or suppressed verbal aggression. The results and discussion illuminate and contrast people's emotional experience of expressing and suppressing verbal aggression.