IMPACT OF LABELED ANGER AND BLAME IN INTIMATE-RELATIONSHIPS - CROSS-CULTURAL EXTENSION OF FINDINGS

Three recent studies in the United States investigated the impact of n egative feeling statements in intimate relationships. Accusatory ''You '' messages were rated as more likely to evoke animosity and antagonis tic behavior than were assertive ''I'' messages. Statements communicat ing angry feelings were rated as more likely to evoke animosity and an tagonistic behavior than were statements communicating feelings of dis tress. The present study investigated the applicability of these findi ngs in an Asian culture using a native language. College students in t he Philippines rated their likely reactions to negative feeling statem ents written either in English or Tagalog. Overall findings were consi stent with results obtained with American subjects. Effects due to lan guage were not in a consistent direction. The authors conclude that ve rbalized anger and blame may evoke emotional and behavioral inclinatio ns that are universally antagonistic, and that cultural, gender, and l anguage differences-where they occur-may be in degree rather than dire ction.