Anger
The human body reacts to anger with immediate, measurable changes. When a person feels angry, their heart rate increases and blood pressure rises. Stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline flood the bloodstream. The rib cage tenses and breathing through the nose becomes faster, deeper, and irregular. Blood flows toward the hands while perspiration increases if the anger is intense. The face flushes and the nostrils flare. The jaw muscles tighten and the brow moves inward and downward to fix a hard stare on the target. This physical mobilization prepares the body for immediate action. Neuroscience identifies specific brain regions that activate during these moments. The amygdala processes emotional significance rapidly as sensory data travels from the eyes or ears along neural pathways. The lateral orbitofrontal cortex shows consistent activation in neuroimaging studies of anger. This region links to approach motivation and positive affective processes. The salience network includes the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and the anterior insula cortex. These areas facilitate autonomic arousal and interoception. The subcortical area contains the thalamus and the brain stem which activate the stress response. Some scholars suggest the tendency for anger may be genetic based on statistical analysis of twins.
Psychologists recognize three distinct types of anger that serve different functions. Hasty and sudden anger connects to the impulse for self-preservation and occurs when an animal feels trapped. Settled and deliberate anger reacts to perceived deliberate harm or unfair treatment by others. Dispositional anger relates more to character traits like irritability, sullenness, and churlishness than to instincts. Anger can mobilize psychological resources to boost determination toward correcting wrong behaviors. It promotes social justice and communication of negative sentiment. However strong forms of anger impair one's ability to process information. An angry person loses objectivity, empathy, prudence, and thoughtfulness. They make risky decisions and less realistic risk assessments. Dangers seem smaller while actions appear less risky to them. In a 2005 study, angry subjects said they thought the risks of terrorism in the year following 9/11 were low compared to fearful subjects. Angry people are more likely to demonstrate correspondence bias. This is the tendency to blame a person's behavior more on their nature than on circumstances. They rely more on stereotypes and pay less attention to details. When a group is in conflict with a rival group it will feel more anger if it is politically stronger. Unlike sadness or fear which promote analytical thinking, anger focuses attention only on anger-causing events.
Research explores whether anger is experienced differently depending on culture. Matsumoto conducted a study where White-American and Asian participants needed to express emotions from a program called JACFEE. He found that Caucasian observers could not distinguish ethnic-specific expressions of anger. Hatfield, Rapson, and Le measured ethnic differences using participants from the Philippines, Hawaii, China, and Europe. They concluded there was a difference based on frequency. Europeans showed the lowest frequency of expression of negative emotions. Other research investigated Black Americans versus Whites living in the same country. After controlling for sex and age, Black participants did not feel or express more anger than Whites. Deffenbacher and Swaim compared Mexican American people and White non-Hispanic American people. They concluded that White non-Hispanic Americans expressed more verbal aggression than Mexican Americans. Physical aggression expressions showed no significant difference between both cultures when it came to anger. The Gallup World Poll asks people in over 140 countries if they experienced anger during a lot of the day yesterday. In 2021, Gallup found that 23% of adults experienced a lot of anger. This figure rose from 18% in 2014. The countries that experienced the most anger were Lebanon, Turkey, Armenia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The countries that experience the least anger were Finland, Mauritius, Estonia, Portugal, and the Netherlands.
Anc Greek philosophers generally showed a hostile attitude towards uncontrolled anger particularly toward slaves. Galen and Seneca regarded anger as a kind of madness. They rejected spontaneous fits of anger and agreed on the value of controlling it. Seneca believed that anger was worthless even for war. He argued that disciplined Roman armies could beat Germans known for their fury. Aristotle ascribed some value to anger arising from perceived injustice because it prevents injustice. He stated that the person who is angry at the right things and toward the right people is morally praiseworthy. Medieval scholars believed men were choleric or hot and dry thus dominant and aggressive. Peter of Albano said the male spirit is lively given to violent impulse but slow getting angry and slower being calmed. Women were seen as more phlegmatic meaning cold and wet so passive and submissive. Immanuel Kant rejects revenge as vicious while David Hume argues lack of anger can be evidence of weakness. Martha Nussbaum agrees great injustice is no excuse for childish behavior. Soraya Chemaly argues anger is a critically useful emotion warning humans something needs to change when threatened with indignity. Rebecca Traister argues holding back anger has been an impediment to women's rights progress.
In Judaism, anger is considered a negative trait. The Book of Genesis records Jacob condemning the fierce anger of his sons Simon and Levi. Maimonides rules that one who becomes angry is as though they had worshipped idols. Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi explains this parallel shows disregard of Divine Providence. In Catholicism, wrath is one of the Seven Deadly Sins yet the Catechism states anger among passions contains neither good nor evil initially. Hatred is a mortal sin when one desires grave harm. Saint Basil viewed anger as a reprehensible temporary madness. Joseph F. Delany defines anger as the desire of vengeance stating reasonable vengeance is ethical. Protestant writers observe everyone experiences anger which can serve as a spiritual friend. Andrew D. Lester notes denying anger interferes with relations with God. Biblical examples include Moses angry at God for mistreating people and Job angry saying God turned cruel to him. Hinduism equates anger with sorrow as unrequited desire. Krishna regards greed, anger, and lust as signs of ignorance leading to bondage. Buddhism lists anger as one of five hindrances defined as being unable to bear the object or intending harm. The Dalai Lama sometimes gets angry but spiritual persons are aware of handling it. Islam considers anger instigated by Satan and hinders faith. The Quran attributes anger to prophets like Moses against his people and Jonah leaving Nineveh. Controlling anger is deemed praiseworthy in Islamic teachings.
Modern psychologists suggest certain psychiatric medications may control symptoms of anger. These include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants like sertraline and antipsychotics like aripiprazole. Benzodiazepines like midazolam also appear in systematic reviews. Conventional therapies involve restructuring thoughts and beliefs through cognitive behavioral therapy. Stress inoculation teaches clients relaxation skills to control arousal. Taking deep breaths is regarded as the first step to calming down once anger subsides slightly. Social skills training offers alternative coping skills to reduce exaggerated anger. A 1981 study used modeling behavior rehearsal and videotaped feedback to increase anger control among aggressive youth. Antisocial personalities learn avoidance tasks better when consequences involve obtaining tangible rewards. A new integrative approach called CBAT adds cognitive and behavioral techniques to conventional methods. It sequences treatment into prevention intervention and postvention phases. Suppression of anger may have harmful effects finding another outlet such as physical symptoms. John W. Fiero cites Los Angeles riots of 1992 as an example of sudden explosive release of suppressed anger. Francine Hughes suffered 13 years of domestic abuse before killing her abuser husband. Suppressed anger links to medical conditions including hypertension coronary artery disease, and cancer. It causes irritable bowel syndrome eating disorders, and depression among women.
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Common questions
What physical changes occur in the human body when a person feels angry?
When a person feels angry, their heart rate increases and blood pressure rises. Stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline flood the bloodstream while the rib cage tenses and breathing becomes faster, deeper, and irregular.
Which brain regions activate during moments of anger according to neuroscience studies?
Neuroscience identifies specific brain regions that activate during these moments including the amygdala which processes emotional significance rapidly. The lateral orbitofrontal cortex shows consistent activation in neuroimaging studies of anger along with the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and the anterior insula cortex within the salience network.
How does culture influence the expression of anger based on research findings from 2021?
In 2021 Gallup found that 23% of adults experienced a lot of anger rising from 18% in 2014 across over 140 countries. Countries that experienced the most anger were Lebanon Turkey Armenia Iraq and Afghanistan while Finland Mauritius Estonia Portugal and the Netherlands experienced the least anger.
What do ancient Greek philosophers say about uncontrolled anger and its value?
Ancient Greek philosophers generally showed a hostile attitude towards uncontrolled anger particularly toward slaves. Galen and Seneca regarded anger as a kind of madness while Aristotle ascribed some value to anger arising from perceived injustice because it prevents injustice.
How is anger viewed in major religious traditions such as Judaism Islam and Buddhism?
In Judaism anger is considered a negative trait where Maimonides rules that one who becomes angry is as though they had worshipped idols. Islam considers anger instigated by Satan and hinders faith while Buddhism lists anger as one of five hindrances defined as being unable to bear the object or intending harm.
Which psychiatric medications and therapies are used to control symptoms of anger today?
Modern psychologists suggest certain psychiatric medications may control symptoms of anger including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants like sertraline and antipsychotics like aripiprazole. Conventional therapies involve restructuring thoughts and beliefs through cognitive behavioral therapy along with stress inoculation teaching clients relaxation skills to control arousal.