Multidimensional individual differences in anger-related behaviors

In this study, we investigate the individual difference structure of anger-related behaviors. In particular, we examine the extent to which individual differences in anger-related behaviors are multidimensional (that is, behavior- and/or situation-specific), and how the resulting individual differences dimensions relate to traditional dispositional variables. For this purpose, participants were asked to recall anger instances in which they had been angry with someone else, who was either of a higher, an equal, or a lower status. Next, they were asked to indicate, for each recalled situation, the degree to which they had wanted to display and had actually displayed each of a set of eight anger-related behaviors. Subsequently, they completed dispositional questionnaires. The results clearly demonstrated that there are considerable and multidimensional individual differences in anger-related behaviors that primarily pertain to three different behavior domains: external aggression, tension reduction, and communication.