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The Role of Power and Gender in Anger Responses to Sexual Jealousy
Author(s) -
Strachan Catherine E.,
Dutton Donald G.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1992.tb00973.x
Subject(s) - anger , psychology , jealousy , social psychology , power (physics) , interpersonal communication , context (archaeology) , active listening , perception , interpersonal relationship , developmental psychology , psychotherapist , paleontology , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , biology
Despite a growing interest in intimate conflict, little research has examined the variables that influence anger within an interpersonal context. Using the conflict topic of sexual jealousy, male and female undergraduate students were randomly assigned to high‐ or low‐power conditions prior to listening to an audiotaped conflict between intimates. Analysis of participants' affective responses to the conflict indicated that in spite of no initial differences in anger before hearing the conflict, there was a significant difference between power conditions in postconflict ratings: low‐power participants reported more anger than did high‐power participants. Similarly, women reported more anger than did men after hearing the conflict despite no preconflict differences. The results are discussed in terms of the influence of power and gender expectations on the anger dynamics of intimate conflict. Of special interest is the extent to which perceptions of power or powerlessness, ostensibly unrelated to the conflict, can shape affective reactions to conflict.