Is Something Missing?

Abstract

Any really close and thorough examination of the psychological research into the origins of anger and emotional aggression must leave the thoughtful reader somewhat dissatisfied. The literature presents us with occasional inconsistencies and unexpected findings that most of the investigators seem not to have noticed and certainly have not addressed as they focus on the more usual research results. In my view any really adequate account of anger and emotional aggression must deal with these apparent exceptions to the general rule and show how they can be explained by the theoretical scheme. Only then, I believe, will we have a truly far-ranging theory. Hoping to assist in the development of this comprehensive formulation, I will first highlight these matters that seem to be almost entirely neglected by most contemporary analyses of anger, and I will then offer a general theoretical model that can accommodate both the seeming exceptions and the much more frequently reported research results.