Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Explorations in the Social Construction of Anger

  • Published:
Motivation and Emotion Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

On the basis of the social-constructionist theory of anger, 2 studies were conducted to explore the social rules relating to anger appraisals and anger-related responses. In Study 1, 400 adults were asked about appropriate causes of anger and appropriate anger-related actions. Attribution of blame, impact or severity of harm, and perceived usefulness of becoming angry emerged as the major determinants of appropriate anger. Talking things over with the offender was judged as the most appropriate behavior when angry at someone. In Study 2, 112 adults were presented with vignettes depicting anger-provoking incidents that varied in regard to the nature of the provocation and the nature of the relationship between offender and target. Both factors significantly influenced the perceived appropriateness of anger-intensity and anger-related behavior. Taken together, the results provide evidence for high social consensus regarding the appropriate causes of anger and anger-related actions. However, there were also noteworthy interindividual differences and cross-situational variations in everyday constructions of anger. The implications of the findings for the social-constructionist view of anger are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Andrew, G., & McMullen, L. M. (2000). Interpersonal scripts in the anger narratives told by clients in psychotherapy. Motivation and Emotion, 24, 271-284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Averill, J. R. (1980). A constructivist view of emotion. In R. Plutchik & H. Kellerman (Eds.), Emotion. Theory, research, and experience: Vol. 1. Theories of emotion (pp. 305-340). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Averill, J. R. (1982). Anger and aggression. An essay on emotion. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Averill, J. R. (1994). Anger. In V. S. Ramachandran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 1, pp. 131-140). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Averill, J. R., & Nunley, E. P. (1992). Voyages of the heart. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., Heatherton, T. F., & Tice, D. M. (1994). Losing control. How and why people fail at self-regulation. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourgeois, K. S., & Leary, M. R. (2001). Coping with rejection: Derogating those who choose us last. Motivation and Emotion, 25, 101-111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brody, L. R., & Hall, J. A. (1993). Gender and emotion. In M. Lewis & J. Haviland (Eds.), The handbook of emotions (pp. 447-460). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bushman, B. J., & Baumeister, R. F. (1998). Threatened egotism, narcissism, self-esteem, and direct and displayed aggression: Does self-love or self-hate lead to violence? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 219-229.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, S., & Halberstadt, A. G. (1996). What makes people angry? Laypersons' and psychologists' categorisations of anger in the family. Cognition and Emotion, 10, 627-656.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cross, S. E., & Madson, L. (1997). Models of the self: Self-construals and gender. Psychological Bulletin, 122, 5-37.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Waal, F. B. M. (2000). Primates-A natural heritage of conflict resolution. Science, 289, 586-590.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fehr, B., Baldwin, M., Collins, L., Patterson, S., & Benditt, R. (1999). Anger in close relationships: An interpersonal script analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 299-312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldman Barrett, L., Robin, L., Pietromonaco, P. R., & Eyssell, K. M. (1998). Are women the "more emotional" sex? Evidence from emotional experiences in social context. Cognition and Emotion, 12, 555-578.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitness, J. (2000). Anger in the workplace: An emotion script approach to anger episodes between workers and their superiors, co-workers and subordinates. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 21, 147-162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frijda, N. H., Kuipers, P., & ter Schure, E. (1989). Relations among emotion, appraisal, and emotional action readiness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 212-228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (1998). Mapping the domain of expressivity: Multidimensional evidence for a hierarchical model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 170-191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, G. S. (1899). A study of anger. American Journal of Psychology, 10, 516-591.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hochschild, A. R. (1979). Emotion work, feeling rules, and social structure. American Journal of Sociology, 85, 551-575.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huesman, L. R., & Guerra, N. G. (1997). Children's normative beliefs about aggression and aggressive behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72, 408-419.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keltner, D., & Haidt, J. (1999). Social functions of emotions at four levels of analysis. Cognition and Emotion, 13, 505-521.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kring, A. M. (2000). Gender and anger. In A. H. Fischer (Ed.), Gender and emotion. Social psychological perspectives (pp. 211-231). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novaco, R. W. (1976). The functions and regulation of the arousal of anger. American Journal of Psychiatry, 133, 1124-1128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oatley, K. (1993). Social construction in emotion. In M. Lewis & J. Haviland (Eds.), The handbook of emotions (pp. 341-352). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ortony, A., Clore, G. L., & Collins, A. (1988). The cognitive structure of emotions. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reisenzein, R., & Spielhofer, C. (1994). Subjectively salient dimensions of emotional appraisal. Motivation and Emotion, 18, 31-77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez Mosquera, P. M., Manstead, A., & Fischer, A. H. (2000). The role of honor-related values in the elicitation, experience, and communication of pride, shame, and anger: Spain and the Netherlands compared. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 833-844.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roseman, I. J., Antoniou, A. A., & Jose, P. E. (1996). Appraisal determinants of emotions: Constructing a more accurate and comprehensive theory. Cognition and Emotion, 10, 241-277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roseman, I. J., & Smith, C. A. (2001). Appraisal theory. Overview, assumptions, varieties, controversies. In K. R. Scherer, A. Schorr, & T. Johnstone (Eds.), Appraisal processes in emotion (pp. 3-19). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saarni, C. (1997). Coping with aversive feelings. Motivation and Emotion, 21, 45-63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saarni, C., & Weber, H. (1999). Emotional displays and dissemblance in childhood: Implications for self-presentation. In P. Philippot, R. S. Feldman, & E. J. Coats (Eds.), The social context of nonverbal behavior (pp. 71-105). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherer, K. R. (1986). Vocal affect expression: A review and a model for future research. Psychological Bulletin, 99, 143-165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherer, K. R. (1997). Profiles of emotion-antecedent appraisal: Testing theoretical predictions across cultures. Cognition and Emotion, 11, 113-150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherer, K. R., & Tannenbaum, P. H. (1986). Emotional experiences in everyday life: A survey approach. Motivation and Emotion, 10, 295-314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherer, K. R., Wallbott, H. G., & Summerfield, A. B. (Eds.). (1986). Experiencing emotion: A cross-cultural study. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schimmel, S. (1979). Anger and its control in Graeco-Roman and modern psychology. Psychiatry, 42, 320-337.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shields, S. (1987). Women, men, and the dilemma of emotion. In P. Shaver & C. Hendrick (Eds.), Sex and gender (pp. 229-250). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, C. A., & Lazarus, R. S. (1993). Appraisal components, core relational themes, and the emotions. Cognition and Emotion, 7, 233-269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tavris, C. (1982). Anger. The misunderstood emotion. New York: Simon & Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tavris, C. (1984). On the wisdom of counting to ten. Personal and social dangers of anger expression. Review of Personality and Social Psychology, 5, 170-191.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thoits, P. (1985). Self-labeling processes in mental illness: The role of emotional deviance. American Journal of Sociology, 92, 221-249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, M., Coie, J., & Herbsman, C. (1992). Display rules for anger and aggression in school-age-children. Child Development, 63, 366-380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, H. (2003). Breaking the rules: Personal and social responses to coping-norm violations. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 16, 133-153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, B. (1995). Judgements of responsibility: A foundation for a theory of social conduct. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitesell, N. R., & Harter, S. (1996). The interpersonal context of emotion: Anger with close friends and classmates. Child Development, 67, 1345-1359.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

    Hannelore Weber

Authors
  1. Hannelore Weber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Weber, H. Explorations in the Social Construction of Anger. Motivation and Emotion 28, 197–219 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:MOEM.0000032314.29291.d4

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:MOEM.0000032314.29291.d4

Search

Navigation