Anger

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Acting out anger while pogo dancing

Anger (also Latin furor 'frenzy, passion, madness' or French rage [ ʀaʒ ] 'frenzy, anger , raging') is a very violent emotion and often an impulsive and aggressive reaction ( affect ) caused by a situation or perceived as unpleasant Remark, e.g. B. an insult has been triggered. Anger is stronger than anger and harder to control than anger. Who often gets in anger, is considered tyrant . It is implicitly stated that those who easily get angry are less able to control themselves.

The derivation of the Italian furore for “furious applause” and “passion” is defined in connection with creating a furore as “ causing a sensation ” and “ winning applause”.

Perspective of psychology

Psychologists differentiate anger from anger and anger by speaking of a "higher level of arousal" and greater intensity. "One speaks of anger when the matter that annoys us is not primarily related to our ego, but to something overarching ... Anger is a little more distant than anger (...)" ( Verena Kast , Vom Sinn des Anger ).

The development of anger is explained psychologically analogously to the development of aggression. There are essentially three theories:

  • The drive theory according to Sigmund Freud . It is based on an innate urge to aggression . If it is suppressed in principle, it comes to mental disturbances.
  • The frustration-aggression theory assumes that aggression is basically a reaction to frustration . Anger is therefore an abreaction.
  • The learning theory according to Albert Bandura represents aggression as learned behavior. It is a behavior pattern that is trained through certain experiences and learning from role models.

However, there are also overarching approaches in psychology in which several explanations are taken up.

According to Rainer Schandry (see below), the expressions of anger and aggression can be traced back to genetic foundations in the basic elements, but to learning processes and cognitive processes in the design of the outbursts of anger in certain concrete situations. The form and type of outbursts of anger, the specific behavior of an outburst of anger are based on social norms and role models that can develop differently in different societies and areas of society.

tantrum

General

A tantrum is understood to mean a mostly brief partial or total loss of control over the feeling of anger; one speaks here of affect . Tantrums are directed against people, animals, institutions or things and often have a specific trigger, which does not necessarily have to be identical to the target of the attack. The tantrum is also known as overreaction and is therefore considered a weakness of character in most cultures. Similarly, it is often considered a strength of character not to let yourself be disturbed , but to maintain your composure or to stay cool.

In principle, in exceptional situations and under severe stress, anyone can suffer a fit of anger, although a tendency to such anger is considered choleric in adults . In young children, tantrums are part of a certain phase of psychological development.

Tantrums are also typical of some mental disorders such as hospitalism / deprivation syndrome, autism ( Kanner syndrome or Asperger syndrome ). Here tantrums occur exceptionally often, longer than average and usually very intense. Tantrums also occur more easily in mentally disabled people, as their ability to control and process such strong emotions is often restricted.

A tantrum can be evoked intentionally or unintentionally. Often, even small stimulus words or actions are sufficient, which in themselves actually have no meaning. The phrase "annoy someone" describes this figuratively. In addition to the external trigger, there is also the possibility of increasing yourself into a fit of anger.

Tantrums in the child

Tantrums are a common and normal behavior in children between the ages of one and four. For many children in this age group, disappointment leads to escalating physical and verbal reactions such as throwing oneself on the floor, crying, screaming, kicking, hitting and throwing objects. Fatigue and hunger can aggravate behavior. Parent guidebooks usually recommend ignoring tantrums, staying calm, and teaching the child self-control through a good role model. When children find that tantrums are effective at getting through, tantrums can become a learned habit. However, the American pediatrician William Sears differentiates between manipulative tantrums on the one hand, which should be discouraged by ignoring them, and disappointment tantrums on the other, in which the child really needs consolation and encouragement in order to cope with the task at which it is afraid of failing ; However, he does not provide a handle on how to distinguish between the two.

Many parenting guides not only describe crisis management techniques, but also methods of prevention and early de-escalation of impending tantrums. In many schools these days there is training in which children learn to deal verbally with conflicts.

If the behavior does not decrease with maturity - especially with the development of verbalization skills - or persists beyond the age of four, it could have become chronic or indicate a disorder that requires diagnosis, and a child psychologist should be consulted.

Dealing with anger

Anger is considered reprehensible in most cultures and is not socially accepted. It does not correspond to the expected social behavior . Nevertheless, it helps in many cases, the will to enforce.

Scientific studies show that often suppressed anger can cause illness, comparable to constant exposure to stress . The observed health effects include increased cholesterol levels , high blood pressure , increased risk of heart attack and diseases of the cardiovascular system . Nevertheless, the constant acting out of aggression does not reduce the risk of suffering the diseases mentioned. On the contrary - it is actually increasing. The explanation for this is that anger increases the production of adrenaline and noradrenaline , i.e. stress hormones. Among other things, these have an impact on blood clotting.

Some psychologists believe that suppressed anger is a cause of depression , eating disorders, and alcoholism .

The advice literature often recommends that anger be appropriately expressed or channeled, for example through exercise , conversation, imagination , creative expression or relaxation methods .

Cinematic mention

  • The British end time - horror film 28 Days Later (2002) and its sequel 28 Weeks Later (2007) deals with the so-called "rage virus " which transforms the person concerned within ten to twenty seconds in a speaking incompetent madman without human reason, immediately and brutally attacks every non-infected person and thus also becomes infected.

See also

literature

Web links

Wiktionary: Anger  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations
Commons : Anger  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wikiquote: Anger  - Quotes

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b John Wegmann: Temper tantrums in children , 2007.
  2. ^ Susan Scott Ricci, Terry Kyle: Maternity and Pediatric Nursing. P. 824 ( Restricted online version in Google Book Search - USA )
  3. ^ Susan Scott Ricci, Terry Kyle: Maternity and Pediatric Nursing. P. 824; Don Mordasini: Wild Child: How You Can Help Your Child with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). P. 112; Farooq Mirza: Keep Children Healthy in Body and Mind: Birth Through 10. S. 204 ( Restricted online version in Google Book Search - USA )
  4. ^ Philip Whitaker, Helen Joy, David Edwards, Jane Harley: Challenging Behavior and Autism: Making Sense - Making Progress. P. 47ff.
  5. Taming Toddler Tantrums ; see. also Ronald Mah: The One-Minute Temper Tantrum Solution: Strategies for Responding to Children's Challenging Behaviors. P. 5 ( Restricted online version in Google Book Search - USA )
  6. Joni Levine: The Everything Parent's Guide to Tantrums: The Only Book you Need to Prevent Outbursts, Avoid Public Scenes, and Help Your Child Stay Calm. P. 188 ( restricted online version in Google Book Search USA ); Robin Goldstein, Janet Gallant: The New Baby Answer Book: From Birth to Kindergarten, Answers to the Top 150 Questions about Raising a Young Child. P. 52 ( Restricted online version in Google Book Search - USA )