Chapter 2Dynamics of Anger,
Violence, and Crises
Defining Anger
• Anger: an emotion triggered in response to threats,
insulting situations, or anything that seriously hampers
one’s intended actions
– Can be a natural adaptive response needed for
survival
– Expressed in many ways
• Hurtful words, actions toward others
• Self-directed
• Aggressively: verbally, nonverbally
• Intense anger/rage: violence
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Trait Anger
• General biological leaning toward a volatile personality
– Quick-tempered
– Involuntary physical reaction
• Increased heart rate
• Quick response of irritation, fury
– Habitual response to frustrating circumstances
• Triggers negative social outcome
– Difficult to avoid conflict, tension
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Expressing Anger and Resentment
• Anger and resentment: our mental perception of a
situation
– Feelings: being wronged, ignored, cheated, abused
• Generate “need” to fight back
• Anger: blurs vision; alters focus
– Depletes energy; creates painful emotions
– Destroys teamwork
• Unexpressed anger: can lead to disorders
– Physical and psychological
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Unrestrained Anger and Violence
• Hostility: anger-based aggressive behavior
• Aggression: behavior that may result in both physical
and psychological harm to oneself or another
– Verbal or nonverbal
• Violence: means to maintain power in a situation or
relationship
• Violence/abusive behaviors: learned responses
– Can be reactive, automatic
– Reinforced by demonstrations of repeated pattern
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Influencing Factors for Violence
• Theory: central theme for entertainment
– TV, movies, video games
• Bullying: psychological harassment or physical confrontation
used repeatedly to intentionally bring harm or humiliation to
one seen as weak or different
– NEA: 1 in 3 students, grades 6 to 10 in the United States
involved
– Results in: absenteeism, school violence, adolescent
suicide
– Direct or indirect
– Can result in mental illness, suicide in victim
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Influencing Factors for Violence (cont.)
• Domestic violence: pattern of behavior used by a
batterer to gain power and control over another person
through fear and intimidation which often includes
threats of physical violence
– Abuses: emotional, physical, economic, sexual
• Potential risk factors
– Personal/family history; moody; power-seeking
– Degrading; substance abuse; not accepting of
personal responsibility for behavior
– Rationale violence as solution; expect others to meet
needs; verbally threatening; vandalism
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Influencing Factors for Violence (cont.)
• Cycle of violence/abuse
– Violence resulting in victim compliance
– Abuser: extremely controlling
– Violence can be aimed at person, possessions
• Remove means of independence from victim
– Emotional/verbal abuse typically precedes physical harm
– Post-battering: batterer will offer gift/loving gestures of
remorse, promises of never happening again
• Resets cycle by projecting blame to victim
• Victim accepts blame: depletes self-worth
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Managing Anger
• Anger-driven behavior can be controlled
• Constructive methods
– Recognize origin of emotional response
– Decrease physical response
• Engage in physical activity: walking, sports
• Separating from situation; “time-out” period
– Assertion; conflict resolution/improved
communication
– Voicing feelings to reduce emotional intensity
– Forgiveness: self, others
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Crisis and Intervention
• Psychological crisis: a state of disorganization and disarray
during which time usual coping strategies fail
• Individual feels helpless and lost
• Types of crises
– Developmental
• Related to maturational stages
– Situational
• Unpredictable
• Sudden, without warning
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Crisis Intervention
• Deal with the present situation; early intervention is best
– Reduce anxiety level; help client define the problem
– Determine available support; help client set realistic goals
for resolution
• Provide support and reassurance
• Provide for client’s safety and security
• Therapeutic strategy functions
– Mobilize client’s available coping mechanisms
– Develop new coping strategies to prevent future
dysfunction
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Suicide
• 10th leading cause of adult death in the United States (NIMH,
2007)
• Approximately 11 attempts occur for each attempt ending in
death
• Males, elderly more lethal than females, youth
• Third leading cause of death in ages 15 to 24
• Most common methods: firearms, suffocation, poisoning
• >90% successful suicides comorbidity
– Depression; other mental disorders
– Substance-related disorders
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Suicide (cont.)
• Risk factors
– Despondency related to loss, hard times; substance
abuse
– Adolescent additional factors
• Depression; substance abuse
• Bullying; physical/sexual abuse
• Behavior disorders
• Levels of risk
– Ideation; threat; gesture; attempt
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Suicide (cont.)
• Risk assessment and intervention
– Lethality, immediacy of crises
– Ideation (passing/continuing thoughts)
– Threat (plan)
– Gesture (means available to work plan)
– Attempt (carry out plan)
• Address
– Suicidal: desire, capability, intent
– Available support system; sense of purpose
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Suicide (cont.)
• Steps for prevention
– Don’t leave suicidal person alone
– Get immediate medical help
– Call 911
– Eliminate access to firearms, potential suicide tools
– Remove unsupervised access to medications (NIMH)
• Suicide crisis center hot lines
• Focus interventions on individual’s safety
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Question
An emotion triggered in response to threats, insulting
situations, or anything that seriously hampers the
intended actions of an individual is
A.
frustration
B.
suicidal ideation
C.
anger
D.
personality
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Answer
C. Anger
• Rationale: Anger is an emotion triggered in response to
threats, insulting situations, or anything that seriously
hampers the intended actions of an individual.
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Question
Tell whether the following statement is true or false.
• Empirical evidence to support a link between violent
video games and violent crimes is abundant.
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Answer
False
• The empirical evidence to support a link between violent
video games and violent crimes is scarce.
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