The Impact of Masculinity on Anger Arousal in Ambiguous Situations

Michelle Wharton,Adam Gerace,Andrew Day,Kevin Howells,Philip Mohr

doi:10.1017/jrr.2014.1

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the influence of sex and gender role identity on anger experience at varying levels of provocation in a sample of 585 Australian students. Participants viewed videotaped vignettes of a potentially anger-triggering event where the intent of another person was either ambiguous or unambiguous. Measures of self-predicted anger, trait anger, and gender role identity were then completed. Results supported the hypothesis that it is gender role identity rather than sex that is more closely related to angry emotion. There was, however, no support for the hypothesis that anger arousal would be greater in circumstances in which the intention behind a provoking event is ambiguous when the respondent identifies with a masculine gender role. The implications of these findings for the development of anger management programs are discussed.

Highlights

Anger management programs are based on the premise that teaching clients to recognise the early physiological signs and cognitive triggers for anger can help them to improve control over anger and, as a consequence, decrease the risk of violent behaviour
This study investigated how masculine individuals might differ from feminine individuals in their anger experience and arousal, in response to angereliciting events of an ambiguous nature
Of sex, gender role identity exerted a significant influence on trait anger and in one potentially angerarousing event

Summary

Introduction

Anger management programs are based on the premise that teaching clients to recognise the early physiological signs and cognitive triggers for anger can help them to improve control over anger and, as a consequence, decrease the risk of violent behaviour. Most anger management programs employ cognitive-behavioural treatment methods to change the way in which recipients consider and respond to situations that they perceive to be provocative. Despite evidence suggesting that highly masculine individuals are more likely to express their anger outwardly than those who identify as feminine (Kopper, 1993; Kopper & Epperson, 1991, 1996; Milovchevich, Howells, Drew, & Day, 2001), the construct of masculinity has been relatively neglected in mainstream anger management programming, other than when considered in the context of gendered violence (e.g., Anderson & Umberson, 2001). According to Bem, an individual’s gender role identity – and not biological sex – is the ‘lens’ through which one interprets, classifies, and processes people and their behavior. It can be predicted that individuals with stronger masculine gender role identity will interpret information and situations and respond in a manner consistent with that identity (i.e., with greater anger expression)

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