Humility is associated with less aggressive motivation

Abstract

Effective, evidence-based methods for the reduction of anger and aggression are limited. We propose that one potentially effective method for reducing anger and aggression involves the increase of affective states that have response tendencies that oppose anger and aggression. One affective state that may have such response tendencies is humility. In three studies, we tested the prediction that humility would be associated with less anger and aggressive motivation. Study 1 confirmed that individual differences in humility were significantly inversely associated with individual differences in anger and aggression, and predicted less anger and aggression independent of narcissism and other major personality traits derived from the HEXACO model. Studies 2 and 3 found that experimentally-induced humility significantly reduced the motivation to aggress. Results suggest that humility may reduce the approach motivational urges associated with experiences of anger (i.e., aggressive urges).