SITUATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCE CORRELATES OF ANNOYANCE EXTENT AND VARIABILITY IN DAILY PROVOCATIONS

Objectives. This study wished to replicate previous findings on the ef fects of situational factors on annoyance extent of Israeli students i n Canadian students, and to examine the roles of trait hostility and m onitoring in annoyance extent and variability. Design. A within-subjec t design tested the effects of situational dimensions (e.g. damage, in tentionality), on annoyance extent, and a correlational design tested the relation between individual-difference traits and annoyance extent and variability Methods. Two Canadian student samples (N = 73 and hi = 79) completed a questionnaire to determine the effects of nine situa tional dimensions on annoyance extent. The second sample was additiona lly assessed for trait hostility (abbreviated. Ho scale) and trait mon itoring (Miller Behavioral Style Scale). Annoyance variability was def ined as difference in annoyance extent between severe and mild provoca tions. Results. Eight situational dimensions conceptually related to h arm (damage, correctability, investment), control/information (intenti onality, expectedness, agent, preventability) and social context (audi ence) consistently affected annoyance extent. Hostility and monitoring were positively and significantly correlated with annoyance extent (r =.34, r=.31, respectively). Finally, hostility was negatively correlat ed with annoyance variability. Conclusions. Several situational dimens ions were found to have a robust effect on annoyance extent cross-cult urally The negative correlation between hostility and annoyance variab ility may reflect cognitive and/or response-biases. Interventions aime d at reducing health risks of hostile individuals (e.g. coronary heart disease) may need to alter these biases when facing provocations of d ifferent severity to help them adapt more appropriately.