SELF-REPORTED ANGER EPISODES IN RUSSIA AND AMERICA

In this study 747 American and Russian participants provided reports a bout recent anger experiences. In both countries anger was generally t riggered at home, during the afternoon or evening and across all days of the week by the unexpected actions of a liked or loved person. It w as perceived as different from annoyance in terms of a lower frequency of occurrence, greater intensity, and longer duration. Anger was typi cally described as a verbal event involving arguing, sarcasm, or compl aining. It was not associated with aggressive desires or behavior. Alt hough similarities across Russian and American men and women were note d Russians were more likely to experience anger in a public place and to have it triggered by an uncontrollable event. Americans and men, mo re often reported associated physical actions such as hitting a person or destroying an object. A number of other sex differences were found . The qualitative similarities across the samples, punctuated by diffe rences in manifestations are congruent with a universalist view of ang er.