Hostile emotions and close relationships: Anger can be related to constructive responses

Abstract

Anger is typically thought to be an emotion that is associated with negative outcomes, such as aggression; however, evidence shows that anger can be related to positive outcomes as well, such as making amends and reparations. Two studies examined the role of anger, contempt, and disgust on behavioural tendencies (i.e., reparative action, avoidance versus aggression) in two contexts: romantic relationships (Study 1) and friendships (Study 2). We also tested whether various individual differences may impact these relationships. It was found that anger was associated with reparative action in both contexts and disgust was related to less reparative action in friendships. All three emotions were positively connected to aggression in romantic relationships (Study 1), but only disgust was related to aggression in friendships (Study 2). Disgust was positively related to avoidance in both studies. The results suggest that anger is an approach emotion, being consistently associated with the positive outcome of reparative action, and disgust is more consistently related to behavioural tendencies in close relationships than contempt. Future research should endeavour to examine when and how the positive behavioural effects of anger can be fostered in close relationships.