Social anxiety and anger regulation

Abstract

Based on the assumption that social anxiety is associated with less assertive behaviour and that effective anger regulation is influenced by social anxiety, two studies were conducted to examine the relationship between social anxiety and anger regulation. In Study 1, questionnaires measuring social anxiety, assertiveness, and six habitual anger-related responses were administered to 115 adults. Social anxiety had an independent effect on rumination and submission, whereas assertiveness was independently related to the use of humour and feedback. In Study 2 (N ¼ 136 adults) self-and observer ratings of angerrelated behaviour were obtained after anger was experimentally induced. Social anxiety was related to self-ratings of submission and rumination. However, independent observer ratings based on videotapes revealed no significant influence of social anxiety on angerrelated behaviour. Taken together, the results provide evidence that social anxiety is associated with the self-perception of less assertive behaviour and the tendency to evaluate one's behaviour more negatively. These results are consistent with prior studies showing that socially anxious persons tend to underestimate their social performance relative to the ratings of independent observers.

Sex differences in anger-related behaviour: Comparing expectancies to actual behaviour

“…The higher tendency of men to react with humour and distancing found in Study 1 confirms previous results concerning sex differences in angerrelated behaviour (Weber, 2004;Weber et al, 2004;Kubiak et al, 2007). The tendency, indicated by humour or distancing, to reappraise a Note: Correlations among self-and observer ratings appear in bold along the diagonal.…”

“…Dispositional anger-related behaviour was assessed by the Anger-related Reactions and Goals Inventory (ARGI; Weber et al, 2004;Kubiak et al, 2007). The ARGI measures six conceptually distinct anger-related reactions and six conceptually distinct anger-related goals, focusing on interpersonal anger situations.…”

“…Constructive responses to anger-eliciting events are predicted in particular by a social-functional view of emotions, which assumes that anger*like emotions in general* serves positive interpersonal aims, such as resolving conflicts, restoring relationships, or redressing social norms that have been violated (Averill, 1982;Keltner & Haidt, 1999;Keltner & Kring, 1998;Weber, 2004). In line with this assumption, empirical studies found that talking things over and addressing the causes of one's anger in an open but non-aggressive way are frequently reported reactions to angering events (e.g., Averill, 1982;Linden et al, 2003;Weber et al, 2004;Kubiak et al, 2007) and are regarded as by far the most appropriate responses when angry (Weber, 2004).…”

“…The accuracy of the stereotype about sex differences in anger-related behaviour*men express anger more openly and assertively than do women* can also be questioned when one considers the fact that anger can also be expressed constructively (e.g., Averill, 1982;Brody, 1997;Linden et al, 2003;Tangney et al, 1996;Weber, 2004;Weber, Wiedig, Freyer, & Gralher, 2004;Kubiak, Wiedig-Allison, Zgorecki, & Weber, 2007). Constructive responses to anger-eliciting events are predicted in particular by a social-functional view of emotions, which assumes that anger*like emotions in general* serves positive interpersonal aims, such as resolving conflicts, restoring relationships, or redressing social norms that have been violated (Averill, 1982;Keltner & Haidt, 1999;Keltner & Kring, 1998;Weber, 2004).…”

Bracing for the worst, but behaving the best: Social anxiety, hostility, and behavioral aggression

“…It is therefore not surprising that higher levels of social anxiety relate to suppressing emotions associated with aggressive behavior, such as anger (Erwin et al, 2003). Weber, Wiedig, Freyer, and Gralher (2004) showed that social anxiety correlated negatively with selfreported frequency of providing non-hostile feedback to others when angry, correlated positively with reports of acting submissively when angry and ruminating about the event, and was unrelated to actual aggression after experiencing laboratoryinduced anger. It therefore remains unclear whether social anxiety is in fact related to less aggressive behaviors or whether people with social anxiety merely report they are less aggressive.…”