Jennifer Parlamis

And now think about those causal attributions, those explanations that you have for why this is happening.

Why did this anger-provoking event occur?

So just take one pause and think about that.

Did you make internal controllable attributions?

So maybe you got cut off in traffic.

Did you say, oh, that person's so inconsiderate?

Something about them that they had control over.

Or maybe someone did something else and you said, oh, they're so selfish.

Or if you're thinking about maybe some particular politicians, oh, they're such a narcissist, or they're incompetent.

Maybe you thought that.

Maybe, however,

you made some external attributions.

So maybe you said something like, well, they were late because of the snowstorm, something that they're not in control over.

Or they had a family emergency.

If you make external attributions, you tend not to get angry or less so.

You may actually feel some empathy or sadness.

And if you blame yourself for a negative behavior or a negative event, you might feel shame.

So every attribution kind of relates to particular emotions.

Now, how many of you, after this event, this anger that I asked you just to recall a moment ago, how many of you actually vented?

Maybe a show of hands.