Neurocognitive Insights in Trait Anger

234 Pages·2016·6.18 MB·English

Marien Lievaart
Short Fuses & Bad Tempers:
Neurocognitive Insights in
Trait Anger
Short Fuses & Bad Tempers:
Neurocognitive Insights in Trait
Anger

Marien Lievaart
Short Fuses & Bad Tempers: Neurocognitive Insights in Trait Anger
Copyright © 2016 D.M. Lievaart

Cover design by Robert Kroon
Layout by Marien Lievaart
Printed by Stout Grafische Dienstverlening v.o.f.

ISBN: 978-90-75938-82-1

All rights reserved. No part of this dissertation may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form, by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the prior permission of the author, or
where appropriate, of the publisher of the articles.

The research presented in this dissertation was funded by Antes Mental Health Care.

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Short Fuses & Bad Tempers:
Neurocognitive Insights in Trait Anger

Korte lontjes & vaatjes buskruit:
Neurocognitieve inzichten in een dispositie tot woede

Proefschrift

ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam

op gezag van de rector magnificus
Prof.dr. H.A.P. Pols

en volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties.

De openbare verdediging zal plaatsvinden op
9 september om 11.30

door
Marien Lievaart
geboren te Maassluis

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Promotiecommissie

Promotoren
Prof. dr. Johannes E. Hovens
Prof. dr. Ingmar H.A. Franken

Overige leden van de commissie
Prof. mr. dr. Eric Rassin
Prof. dr. Jan W. van Strien
Prof. dr. Henk Nijman

Copromotoren
Dr. Frederik M. Van der Veen
Dr. Jorg Huijding

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Promotiecommissie Contents

Chapter One 7
Promotoren
General introduction
Prof. dr. Johannes E. Hovens

Prof. dr. Ingmar H.A. Franken
Chapter Two 35

Anger Assessment in Clinical and Nonclinical Populations:
Overige leden van de commissie
Prof. mr. dr. Eric Rassin Further Validation of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2
Prof. dr. Jan W. van Strien
Prof. dr. Henk Nijman Chapter Three 61

Trait Anger in Relation to Neural and Behavioral Correlates of
Copromotoren
Response Inhibition and Error-Processing
Dr. Frederik M. Van der Veen

Dr. Jorg Huijding
Chapter Four 83

The Relation between Trait Anger and Impulse Control in Forensic
Psychiatric Patients: An EEG Study

Chapter Five 103
The Impact of Angry Rumination on Anger-Primed Cognitive Control

Chapter Six 125
Does Mental Fatigue Have an Impact on Anger and Refusal to
Cooperate Following Provocation

Chapter Seven 145
Summary, Discussion, and Concluding Remarks

References 169

Nederlandse Samenvatting (Summary in Dutch) 193

Dankwoord (Acknowledgements in Dutch) 217

Publications 225

Curriculum Vitae 229
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 Chapter One

General introduction

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Chapter One
A frustrated father who suddenly snaps and hits his child after several previous warnings. A
previous loyal coworker who suddenly remains absent for several days at work due to
disagreement with his boss. A married couple giving each other the silent treatment after
repeated arguments. A usually reasonable man erratically flipping the bird after being cut
off on the road. A war veteran resenting the army and harboring grudges after losing his
legs and multiple friends after stepping on a landmine. A once beloved partner that gets
killed after suspected infidelity.
These short vignettes described above, illustrate the variety of situations that can
lead to and behavioral outcomes that can result from an emotion we are all familiar with,
yet understand little about: anger1. Anger, in short, can be defined as “an emotional state
that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage” (Spielberger, 1999 p. 1).
Although little understood, its link with adverse outcomes is evident, making the
understanding of anger a valuable enterprise. There is especially a need to better
understand the key factors underlying a disposition towards anger, as individuals scoring
high on this personality trait have impairments in their day-to-day functioning. To this
purpose, the current thesis investigates the (neuro)cognitive aspects underlying anger and a
disposition towards anger (i.e., trait anger). Before reviewing existing research on trait anger
and its underpinnings in more detail, we first focus on anger as an emotional state. This is
followed by a paragraph devoted to describing the clinical relevance of the construct trait
anger in more detail. Next, a paragraph in which definitions and distinctions regarding
constructs related to trait anger will be reviewed. Finally, cognitive models with respect to
trait anger and reactive aggression will be discussed and an overview of the current thesis
will be provided.

1 DiGiuseppe and Trafrate (2010) highlight the scarcity of research around this topic and its
neglect in clinical practice as evidenced by an absence of diagnostic categories for anger
disorders, making it a challenging construct to define. Note that the intermittent explosive
disorder has its main focus on aggressive behavior rather than anger.
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General introduction

A frustrated father who suddenly snaps and hits his child after several previous warnings. A 1.1. Anger defined: its origins and its consequences
previous loyal coworker who suddenly remains absent for several days at work due to Anger is an emotion that is part of everyday live. Together with happiness, sadness and fear,
disagreement with his boss. A married couple giving each other the silent treatment after anger is considered to be a basic emotion that is innate and universal to all humans (Ekman,
1
repeated arguments. A usually reasonable man erratically flipping the bird after being cut 1999; Panksepp, 1998; Strongman, 2003)2. Diary studies conducted in community samples
off on the road. A war veteran resenting the army and harboring grudges after losing his show that people report to experience and express mild to moderate anger from several
legs and multiple friends after stepping on a landmine. A once beloved partner that gets times daily to at least several times a week (Averill, 1983; Kassinove, Sukhodolsky, Tsytsarev,
killed after suspected infidelity. & Solovyova, 1997; Meltzer, 1933; Schieman, 2010; Tafrate, Kassinove, & Dundin, 2002).
2
These short vignettes described above, illustrate the variety of situations that can Most of these angry episodes involve significant persons in our live that we love, like or rely
lead to and behavioral outcomes that can result from an emotion we are all familiar with, on (Averill, 1983; Schieman, 2010). Anger can be elicited by a broad range of triggers of
yet understand little about: anger1. Anger, in short, can be defined as “an emotional state which perceived threats (to the self or to those one feels related to), deliberate harm-
that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage” (Spielberger, 1999 p. 1). doings, disrespect, insults, injustice, unwanted actions of other people, and norm or rule
Although little understood, its link with adverse outcomes is evident, making the violations are the most common (Potegal & Novaco, 2010). Especially in situations where 3
understanding of anger a valuable enterprise. There is especially a need to better triggers are appraised as preventable and intentional anger arises. Novaco (2011) also
understand the key factors underlying a disposition towards anger, as individuals scoring points out the intrinsic role threat perceptions play in the activation of anger. In line with
high on this personality trait have impairments in their day-to-day functioning. To this this notion, it is found that the neurobiological threat system (amygdala, hypothalamus, and
purpose, the current thesis investigates the (neuro)cognitive aspects underlying anger and a periaqueductal gray) becomes activated in conditions that elicit anger (Blair, 2012). Like 4
disposition towards anger (i.e., trait anger). Before reviewing existing research on trait anger other emotions, the intensity of anger is experienced on a continuous scale, ranging from
and its underpinnings in more detail, we first focus on anger as an emotional state. This is mild forms of anger (e.g., irritation and annoyance) to severe forms (e.g., fury and rage)3,
followed by a paragraph devoted to describing the clinical relevance of the construct trait and is usually short-lived (Potegal & Qiu, 2010). Typically, anger episodes last around five up
anger in more detail. Next, a paragraph in which definitions and distinctions regarding till fifteen minutes (Potegal & Qiu, 2010). However, angry rumination and thoughts of
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constructs related to trait anger will be reviewed. Finally, cognitive models with respect to revenge can prolong the timecourse of anger substantially (Novaco, 2011). Moreover, angry
trait anger and reactive aggression will be discussed and an overview of the current thesis feelings can be experienced over longer period of times (from several hours up till several
will be provided. days) in less intense forms as well, often referred to as an angry mood (Fernandez, 2013).

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2 Although anger is considered to be a basic emotion that is universally expressed and
recognized, the behavioural expression of anger at the same time is also evidently culturally
modified, sometimes even cultural-specific, and governed by display rules (Matsumoto et

al., 2010). Constructivists go as far as to suggest that anger is “a role or a socially

constructed, reinforced behavioural script that we learn to play” (Kassinove & Tafrate, 2002, 7
1 DiGiuseppe and Trafrate (2010) highlight the scarcity of research around this topic and its p. 16) and consider anger a fuzzy concept (Russell & Fehr, 1994) that cannot be defined with
neglect in clinical practice as evidenced by an absence of diagnostic categories for anger absolute certainty.
disorders, making it a challenging construct to define. Note that the intermittent explosive 3 Note that we conceptualize anger here as a single construct that can vary in intensity
disorder has its main focus on aggressive behavior rather than anger. rather than qualitatively differentiating between forms of anger.
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