High Trait Anger Research Articles

Interactive Effects of Anger and Alcohol Intoxication on Men's Laboratory-Based Sexual Aggression Propensity Following a Masculinity Threat.

The I3 Model posits that men are more likely to engage in sexual aggression (SA) when instigation (e.g., their masculinity is threatened) and impellance are high (e.g., high trait anger), and inhibition is low (e.g., alcohol intoxication). This study investigates the independent and interactive effects of trait anger and acute intoxication on men's SA propensity after exposure to a masculinity threat. Cisgender heterosexual men (n = 120, aged 21-30) completed a self-report measure of trait anger, were randomly assigned to consume an alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverage and engaged in the Sexual Imposition Paradigm (SIP) which assessed laboratory-based SA propensity toward a female confederate. Prior to the SIP, all men's masculinity were threatened via feedback from a personality test which indicated that they were less masculine than other men. The interaction between trait anger and beverage condition was significant. When intoxicated SA propensity increased among men with higher trait anger, whereas for sober men, their SA propensity decreased with higher trait anger. Consistent with the I3 Model, individual differences in trait anger may be a critical risk factor for men's SA under the influence of alcohol. These findings have implications for intervention programming. Anger often arises as a response to feeling vulnerable, such as when men's masculinity is threatened. Thus, the integration of established, evidenced-based approaches to regulate anger into SA interventions may be a promising approach to reduce SA, particularly among men who have consumed alcohol.

The relationship between trait anger and reactive aggressive behavior in middle school students: the mediating role and intervention of hostile attribution bias

BackgroundThe reactive aggressive behavior in individuals typically shows a rapid growth trend as individuals enter adolescence, and peaks during middle-school period. According to the Comprehensive Cognitive Model of Trait Anger, trait anger and hostile attribution bias play important roles in the development of reactive aggressive behavior. Based on this, current study explored the relationship between trait anger and reactive aggressive behavior in middle school students, as well as the mediating role of hostile attribution bias and interventions.MethodsThe current study consisted of three sub-studies. Study 1 recruited 87 middle school students with an average age of 12.367 ± 0.889 years, investigated the relationship between trait anger and reactive aggressive behavior, as well as the mediating role of trait hostile attribution bias. Study 2 recruited 62 middle school students with an average age of 13.376 ± 0.963 years, investigated the relationship between trait anger and reactive aggressive behavior, as well as the mediating role of state hostile attribution bias. Study 3 recruited 80 middle school students with an average age of 13.392 ± 0.977 years, implemented an intervention targeting trait hostile attribution bias in middle school students with high trait anger to reduce their reactive aggressive behavior. In current study, data management was performed using SPSS 22.0. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, paired samples t-test, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), and path analysis were used for statistical analysis.FindingsThe results of Study 1 showed that trait anger predicted reactive aggressive behavior through trait hostile attribution bias. The results of Study 2 indicated that trait and state hostile attribution bias played mediating role intermediary, and trait hostile attribution bias had a stronger mediating effect than state hostile attribution bias. The results of Study 3 suggested that the intervention effectively decreased trait hostile attribution bias and reactive aggressive behavior.ConclusionsTrait anger can predict the reactive aggressive behavior of junior high school students, with trait hostility attribution bias and state hostility attribution bias mediating this relationship. Intervening in the hostility attribution bias of high-anger junior high school students can effectively reduce their reactive aggressive behavior.

Kindness or Intelligence? Angry Men are Perceived as Less Intelligent by Their Female Romantic Partners.

We were interested in how people in a romantic relationship would perceive the intelligence of their partners who have high or low trait anger. Specifically, we referred to the tension between compassion (low anger) and competence (high intelligence) in mate choice. Some evolutionary theories suggest that mating might be considered a bargaining process between these two higher-order attributes. Our study involved 148 heterosexual couples in romantic relationships. We measured the relationship between relationship satisfaction, trait anger, objective intelligence, self-assessed intelligence, and subjectively assessed partners' intelligence. We found that angrier men were less satisfied in their romantic relationship than those men who were less angry, and their partners were also less satisfied in the relationship. Additionally, women perceived angrier men as less intelligent, an effect that remained after controlling for men's objective intelligence. Lastly, we found that women's perception of their partner's intelligence mediated the link between men's anger and relationship satisfaction for both sexes. Our findings suggest that both anger and intelligence play important roles in romantic relationship functioning, consistent with evolutionary theories that emphasize the value of competence (i.e., intelligence) and compassion (i.e., low anger) in romantic partners. Furthermore, our study highlights the importance of women's perception of their partner's intelligence in determining the quality of the relationship.

Do Hypertensive Men Spy With an Angry Little Eye? Anger Recognition in Men With Essential Hypertension - Cross-sectional and Prospective Findings.

Higher trait anger has inconsistently been associated with hypertension and hypertension development, but social context in terms of recognition of other persons' anger has been neglected in this context. Here, we investigated anger recognition of facial affect and trait anger in essential hypertensive and normotensive men in addition to prospective associations with blood pressure (BP) increases. Baseline assessment comprised a total of 145 participants including 57 essential hypertensive and 65 normotensive men who were otherwise healthy and medication-free. Seventy-two eligible participants additionally completed follow-up assessment 3.1 (±0.08 SEM) years later to analyze BP changes over time. We assessed emotion recognition of facial affect with a paradigm displaying mixed facial affect of two morphed basic emotions including anger, fear, sadness, and happiness. Trait anger was assessed with the Spielberger trait anger scale. Cross-sectionally, we found that with increasing BP, hypertensive men overrated anger displayed in facial expressions of mixed emotions as compared to normotensive men (ps ≤ .019) while there were no differences in trait anger (p = .16). Prospectively, the interaction between mean anger recognition and trait anger independently predicted BP increases from baseline to follow-up (ps ≤ .043), in that overrating displayed anger predicted future BP increases only if trait anger was high. Our findings indicate an anger recognition bias in men with essential hypertension and that overrating displayed anger in combination with higher trait anger seems to predict future BP increases. This might be of clinical relevance for the development and progression of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

On second thought … the influence of a second stage in the ultimatum game on decision behavior, electro-cortical correlates and their trait interrelation.

Previous EEG research only investigated one stage ultimatum games (UGs). We investigated the influence of a second bargaining stage in an UG concerning behavioral responses, electro-cortical correlates and their moderations by the traits altruism, anger, anxiety, and greed in 92 participants. We found that an additional stage led to more rejection in the 2-stage UG (2SUG) and that increasing offers in the second stage compared to the first stage led to more acceptance. The FRN during a trial was linked to expectance evaluation concerning the fairness of the offers, while midfrontal theta was a marker for the needed cognitive control to overcome the respective default behavioral pattern. The FRN responses to unfair offers were more negative for either low or high altruism in the UG, while high trait anxiety led to more negative FRN responses in the first stage of 2SUG, indicating higher sensitivity to unfairness. Accordingly, the mean FRN response, representing the trait-like general electrocortical reactivity to unfairness, predicted rejection in the first stage of 2SUG. Additionally, we found that high trait anger led to more rejections for unfair offer in 2SUG in general, while trait altruism led to more rejection of unimproving unfair offers in the second stage of 2SUG. In contrast, trait anxiety led to more acceptance in the second stage of 2SUG, while trait greed even led to more acceptance if the offer was worse than in the stage before. These findings suggest, that 2SUG creates a trait activation situation compared to the UG.

Hostile Attribution Bias and Anger Rumination Sequentially Mediate the Association Between Trait Anger and Reactive Aggression.

Reactive aggression is a type of aggression that has severe consequences in individual’s psychosocial development and social stability. Trait anger is a risk personality factor for reactive aggression. However, the mediating mechanism of this relationship has not been sufficiently analyzed. We proposed that hostile attribution bias and anger rumination may be cognitive factors that play mediating roles in the relationship between trait anger and reactive aggression. To test this hypothesis, a sample of 600 undergraduates (51.67% females, Mage = 20.51, SD = 1.11) participated in this study. Findings showed that hostile attribution bias, anger rumination sequentially mediated the association between trait anger and reactive aggression. These results highlight the importance of anger rumination and hostile attribution bias to explain the link between trait anger and reactive aggression in undergraduates. The findings of the present study also provide valuable information about the role of negative cognitive activities (e.g., hostile attribution, ruminate in anger emotion) in high trait anger individual may trigger reactive aggression. The limitations of the study are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.

Coercion as a response to violence in mental health-care settings

Aggressive and violent behaviour are major public health problems. The association of these behaviours with severe mental illness has been controversial and supported by some but not all research.1 The display of aggressive or violent behaviour can be a final endpoint of the various underpinning causes of mental illness (eg, distress, frustration, cognitive impairment, substance misuse, low self-control, and high trait anger) relating to intrinsic and distal processes, including the person, the environment, and the person's social networks.

Personality and frustration predict aggression and anger following violent media

ABSTRACT The General Aggression Model is one of the major frameworks that studies use to conceptualise the relationship between violent video games and aggression. Although commonly used, this model incorporates important personological and media characteristics into its formulation at a minimal level. As such, the purpose of the current research was to investigate the effect of four media types (violent video game, non-violent video game, violent book, and violent television show) on state anger and behavioural aggression. Analysis revealed no differences in state anger and behavioural aggression between the four media types. Regression analysis suggests that individuals with higher levels of impulsivity, increased emotional reactivity to the media, and frustration with the content of the media are more likely to have a higher state anger response to media exposure. Behavioural aggression was higher for those participants less disturbed by the media and with higher trait anger. Overall, these results suggest that personality and frustration are better predictors of anger and aggression in the context of media exposure. Implications for models of media aggression (such as the Immersive Media Prediction model) and future research are discussed.

Association Between Anger and Mortality in Women and Men: A Prospective Cohort Study in a Japanese Community.

Background: Anger is a common problem in society, and anger's relationship with mortality, in particular with cardiovascular mortality, has been studied mainly in male western population. There are no prospective studies in Japan, about the association between anger and mortality. Materials and Methods: This study examined the association of anger with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a Japanese community. Data came from the Takayama Study, which recruited residents aged ≥35 years in 1992 from Takayama City in Gifu, Japan. The current study used information on anger that was obtained from the second survey in 2002. A total of 11,902 healthy participants aged ≥45 years completed a self-administered questionnaire. Anger was assessed using the Spielberger Trait Anger Scale. Results: The main causes of deaths during the follow-up period from 2002 to 2013 were 460 for neoplasm, 254 for cardiovascular, and 435 for other causes. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found a significant positive association between the trait anger score and the risk of cardiovascular mortality for women, with a hazard ratio for high versus low score of trait anger of 1.81 (95% confidence interval 0.91-3.63, p for trend = 0.04), but not for men. Conclusions: Data suggest that for Japanese women, high trait anger score may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Potential gender differences in the association between trait anger and mortality should be further studied from the cultural context.

The effect of trait anger and impulsiveness on ethical leadership and support for organizational change

In this study, we examine the combined effect of leader trait anger and impulsiveness (narrow neuroticism sub-factors) on ethical leadership and organization member adaptivity. Data from working leaders, their followers and direct managers provide preliminary evidence that high trait anger and high impulsiveness relates to low follower-rated ethical leadership, and low manager-rated organization member adaptivity. Similarly, there was a stronger negative association between trait anger and ethical leadership for leaders with high as opposed to low impulsiveness. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

A Pilot Study for Forgiveness Intervention in Adolescents With High Trait Anger: Enhancing Empathy and Harmony.

Forgiveness interventions benefit victims’ mental health, reduce levels of anger, and promote forgiveness. However, forgiveness interventions are rarely used to improve the offender’s anger and mental health, especially in specific situations such as juvenile correctional facilities. The offender is often also a victim, and reducing the offender’s excessive anger may prevent or decrease the likelihood of future interpersonal violence. This study examined the effects of forgiveness interventions on anger, forgiveness, empathy, and harmony of juvenile delinquents with high levels of trait anger. Eighteen adolescents with trait anger in a juvenile correctional facility volunteered to participate in group counseling. A pretest–posttest method of quasi-experimental design was used, with 8 participants in the intervention group and 10 in the control group; the intervention group received forgiveness group counseling, and the control group did not. The results revealed that the intervention group had significantly higher scores for forgiveness, empathy, and harmony than the control group, although no significant differences in the scores of state and trait anger were found. The forgiveness intervention had significantly improved the levels of forgiveness toward specific perpetrators of childhood victimization for the juvenile delinquents with high levels of trait anger, raising their levels of empathy and harmony; there was no significant increase in trait anger. The findings indicated that forgiveness intervention provides an effective way to improve the positive mental strength of adolescents with high levels of trait anger.

How do high trait anger people feel about rewards high and low in arousal? Disentangling the association between trait anger and subjective pleasantness of rewards

The primary goal of the present research was to investigate the association between trait anger and subjective pleasantness of rewards that differed in terms of evoked arousal. In the first study (n = 124), we assessed trait anger and liking rewarding cues related to either a high- or a low-arousal emotional response. To this end, we used Polish words from the Nencki Affective Word List classified as representative for happiness. In study 2 (n = 224), we extended this analysis by assessing individual differences in approach motivation and hedonism. The former was assessed with the BIS/BAS scales while the latter was measured with the Present Hedonism subscale from the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory. The results revealed that trait anger was positively related to liking rewards, and this relation was more pronounced for high-arousal stimuli. Moreover, reward responsiveness (BIS/BAS subscale) mediated the association between trait anger and liking both high- and low-arousal rewarding cues, while the role of hedonism was significant for liking high-arousal stimuli. The obtained findings demonstrate that in case of high trait anger individuals, the intensity of pleasant feelings associated with the reward might be a function of the arousal evoked by the reward.

Mediating effect of resilience during pregnancy on the association between maternal trait anger and postnatal depression

ObjectiveThe association between anger and postnatal depression has been reported in previous studies. However, whether this association is mediated by resilience is unknown. Resilience is a dynamic process of individuals' positive adaptation to stress and adversity. This study investigated the mediating effect of resilience during pregnancy on the association between trait anger during pregnancy and postnatal depression at one-month. MethodsA longitudinal study from the third trimester to one-month postnatal using online self-report questionnaires was conducted in two maternity clinics in Tokyo. Trait anger and resilience during pregnancy and postnatal depression at one-month were measured by the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, resilience test, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. To test the hypothesis, Structural Equation Modeling was used. ResultsData of 531 participants were analyzed. The final Structural Equation Modeling model demonstrated that resilience during pregnancy had a partial mediating effect on the association between trait anger during pregnancy and postnatal depression at one-month. Trait anger was significantly associated with resilience during pregnancy (β = −0.28) and postnatal depression (β = 0.24). Resilience during pregnancy was significantly associated with postnatal depression (β = −0.20). ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that resilience during pregnancy had a partial mediating effect on the association between trait anger during pregnancy and postnatal depression at one-month. The findings highlight the importance of identifying pregnant women with high trait anger and providing interventions to enhance their resilience to decrease the risk of postnatal depression.

Trait Anger Moderates the Relation Between Facial Affect Recognition Ability and Perpetration of Male-to-Female Physical and Psychological Intimate Partner Aggression

Researchers have sought to identify deficits in affect recognition as a precipitating factor in intimate partner aggression (IPA) perpetration, but results from these studies have produced mixed findings. This may be due to the unlikelihood that deficits in affect recognition abilities would prompt perpetration of IPA without affective predispositions toward aggression, such as trait anger. The current study sought to examine the relation between negative affect recognition ability and men’s past perpetration of physical and psychological IPA across levels of trait anger. Heterosexual couples (N = 83) completed self-report measures regarding the frequency of male-to-female IPA perpetration within their relationship. Additionally, males completed measures of trait anger and were administered a facial affect recognition test. Decreased ability in decoding negative facial affect was associated with increased perpetration of physical and psychological IPA, but only for men high in trait anger. There was no relation between negative facial affect recognition ability and IPA perpetration at low levels of trait anger. Results from this study indicated that the highest rates of physical and psychological IPA perpetration within the sample were among those with co-occurring high trait anger and decreased ability to decode negative facial affect. Our findings suggest that perpetration of IPA is associated with an interaction of affective traits and deficits in social cognitive processing. Treatments aimed at reducing aggression and violence among intimate partners would benefit from improving affect recognition when high trait anger is present.

Childhood Maltreatment and Bullying Perpetration among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of Moral Disengagement and Trait Anger

BackgroundChildhood maltreatment plays an important role in adolescents’ bullying perpetration. However, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this association remain largely unknown. ObjectivesThe current study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescents’ bullying perpetration and extended previous literature by examining the mediating effect of moral disengagement and the moderating effect of trait anger in this relationship. Participants and settingFour hundred and thirty-five Chinese adolescents (228 girls, mean age = 13.55 years) participated in the current study. MethodsOur theoretical model was examined using a short-term longitudinal design. During the fall of 2016, adolescents completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form. After six months, they completed the moral disengagement Scale, the Bullying Scale, and the Trait Anger Scale in the spring of 2017. ResultsThe results indicated that childhood maltreatment positively predicted adolescents’ bullying perpetration at six months later, and moral disengagement mediated this relationship. Trait anger moderated the relationship between moral disengagement and bullying perpetration, but not the relationship between childhood maltreatment and bullying perpetration. Specifically, high trait anger adolescents who had higher levels of moral disengagement were more likely to bully their peers than low trait anger adolescents. ConclusionsThese findings indicate that childhood maltreatment plays an important role in adolescents’ bullying perpetration, and this relationship is mediated by moral disengagement. Moreover, trait anger moderates the relationship between moral disengagement and bullying perpetration. Educators who examine adolescents’ bullying perpetration should pay closer attention to their moral disengagement and trait anger, as well as their childhood maltreatment experiences, in order to provide appropriate interventions.

The effect of anger on variety seeking for consumers of differing socio-economic backgrounds

Drawing from life-history theory and the appraisal-tendency approach toward emotion, this study investigated the effect of anger on consumers’ variety-seeking (VS) behavior depending on childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and trait anger. Participants (N = 159) were randomly assigned to either the anger or the neutral condition. The results showed that childhood SES interacts with trait anger to influence VS when people are temporarily in an angry mood but not when people are in a neutral mood. More specifically, people from relatively resource-abundant environments generally tend to seek variety when they are temporarily in an angry mood, independent of trait anger; although those with a low trait anger tend to choose more variety compared to those with a high trait anger. For people growing up from relatively resource-scarce environments, those with a low trait anger tend to choose less variety when they feel angry than those with a high trait anger. The present study extends the current understanding of the effects of emotion on VS. The theoretical and marketing implications of these findings are discussed.

A Prospective Examination of Men’s Condom Use Resistance: Event-Level Associations with Sexual Aggression, Alcohol Consumption, and Trait Anger

Burgeoning research suggests that men engage in a variety of coercive and non-coercive tactics to avoid condom use (condom use resistance; CUR), suggesting a risk nexus regarding sexual risk and sexual aggression (SA). Laboratory-based research has found that acute alcohol intoxication is associated with CUR; however, no study has examined event-level associations among alcohol consumption, SA history, and CUR or the moderating effects of trait anger. Non-problem drinking young adult men who have sex with women (N = 430) completed a background survey and follow-up assessments regarding their sex events and alcohol consumption over three months. CUR was reported in 113 sex events; 6.2% of these involved SA and 40.7% involved alcohol consumption. Generalized estimating equations demonstrated that men with more severe SA histories were more likely to perpetrate CUR. Men lower in trait anger were more likely to perpetrate CUR the more they increased above their typical level of alcohol consumption, whereas men higher in trait anger were similarly likely to perpetrate CUR regardless of their alcohol consumption. Results suggest that men with greater SA histories and high trait anger are at increased risk of perpetrating CUR, and that risk of CUR increases among other men the more they increase their alcohol consumption beyond their average.

Low (not High) Trait Anger is a Personal Strength in Adolescents

Low trait anger, the tendency to stay calm in order to cope with frustrating everyday situations, is associated with mental health and positive outcomes. Its counterpart is high trait anger, defined as intense and chronic irritability, which usually has detrimental effects on the individuals and their relationships. The purpose of this study was to test three hypotheses in adolescents with high (n = 94) and low trait anger (n = 140), with a mean age of 13.06 (SD = 0.77). Hypotheses 1 and 2 addressed the parents’ behavior (parenting practices), and hypothesis 3 assessed social skills, anger and aggression. In particular, compared to adolescents with high trait anger, those with low trait anger: 1) experience less imposition and psychological control (i.e., less negative parenting) from both, mother and father; 2) experience more communication, autonomy, and behavioral control (i.e., more positive parenting) from mother and father; and 3) present more social skills, reflected in lower levels of anger-out, lower aggression toward other individuals, and higher levels of anger self-control. The findings, as a result, supported the three hypotheses. Aggression and social skills did not differ according to gender. However, female participants experienced higher levels of trait anger than did male participants.

Alcohol Consumption and Trait Anger Strengthen the Association Between Perceived Quarrelsomeness and Quarrelsome Behavior via Feeling Angry.

Alcohol intoxication facilitates interpersonal aggression, but this effect depends on person and situation characteristics. Using the Alcohol Myopia Model, we examined the joint influence of alcohol, trait anger, and state anger on the association between perceived quarrelsomeness in an interaction partner and quarrelsome behavior in naturally occurring interpersonal interactions. Using an event-contingent recording method over a 20-day period, community adults reported their perception of an interaction partner's quarrelsome behavior, their own anger and quarrelsome behavior, and the number of alcohol drinks consumed up to 3hours prior to an interpersonal interaction. Results revealed that alcohol consumption and trait anger jointly moderated the association between perceived quarrelsomeness and quarrelsome behavior indirectly via state anger. Heightened anger experience accounted for increased quarrelsome behavior in response to perceived quarrelsomeness among higher trait anger individuals who reported increased alcohol consumption. When no alcohol was consumed, no such difference in quarrelsome behavioral response was found between low and high trait anger individuals. Findings suggest that alcohol consumption may strengthen the influence of perceived quarrelsomeness on a person's own quarrelsome behavior among individuals with a readiness to experience anger. Intense anger experience may undermine these individuals' ability to inhibit aggressive behaviors when under the influence of alcohol.

The Relation Between Trait Anger and Impulse Control in Forensic Psychiatric Patients: An EEG Study

Inhibitory control is considered to be one of the key factors in explaining individual differences in trait anger and reactive aggression. Yet, only a few studies have assessed electroencephalographic (EEG) activity with respect to response inhibition in high trait anger individuals. The main goal of this study was therefore to investigate whether individual differences in trait anger in forensic psychiatric patients are associated with individual differences in anger-primed inhibitory control using behavioral and electrophysiological measures of response inhibition. Thirty-eight forensic psychiatric patients who had a medium to high risk of recidivism of violent and/or non-violent behaviors performed an affective Go/NoGo task while EEG was recorded. On the behavioral level, we found higher scores on trait anger to be accompanied by lower accuracy on NoGo trials, especially when anger was primed. With respect to the physiological data we found, as expected, a significant inverse relation between trait anger and the error related negativity amplitudes. Contrary to expectation, trait anger was not related to the stimulus-locked event related potentials (i.e., N2/P3). The results of this study support the notion that in a forensic population trait anger is inversely related to impulse control, particularly in hostile contexts. Moreover, our data suggest that higher scores on trait anger are associated with deficits in automatic error-processing which may contribute the continuation of impulsive angry behaviors despite their negative consequences.