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emotion
Venting your anger makes you more aggressive, not less.
A 2002 study showed that participants who hit a punching bag to vent anger were more aggressive than those who sat quietly.
The theory of catharsis suggests that expressing negative emotion relieves it, but data shows the opposite. Physical expressions of rage reinforce the neural pathways associated with that anger rather than draining them. You are effectively practicing being aggressive, which lowers the threshold for your next outburst.
Expressing your rage is often a way of fueling the fire.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Brad Bushman (2002) in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- What the check found
- The claim accurately describes the 2002 study by Brad J. Bushman in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. The provided reference material did not contain this specific information.
- Confidence
- Well replicated
Related
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