1. Professor of Psychology Professor of Communication Studies
Does Venting Anger Feed or Extinguish the Flame? (or “Spock Had it Right!”)
Brad J. Bushman, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Professor of Communication Studies
Research Professor, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
Professor of Communication Science, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2. Outline Catharsis theory Why does catharsis theory survive?
Do media messages work?
Does venting work if people believe in it?
Does rumination help or hurt?
Meta-analysis

3. Catharsis Theory Dates back to Aristotle.
Term comes from the Greek katharsis, which means to cleanse or purge.
Posits that acting aggressively or even viewing aggression purges angry feelings.

4. Hydraulic Model
Frustrations lead to anger, and anger builds up inside a person, like steam inside a pressure cooker, until it is vented. If anger isn’t vented, the person will eventually “explode” in an aggressive rage.

5. Moratorium on Catharsis Theory
In 1973, Albert Bandura issued a statement calling for a moratorium on catharsis theory and the use of venting in therapy because they “may inadvertently reinforce aggressive tendencies.”

6. Venting Anger is Like Using Gasoline to Put Out a Fire — It Feeds the Flame!
Venting keeps arousal levels high.
Venting keeps aggressive thoughts active in memory.
Venting keeps angry feelings alive.

7. Why Does Catharsis Theory Survive?
Professional psychologists
Pop psychologists
Mass media

8. Do Media Messages Work? Subjects: 180 men, 180 women
Pro-catharsis: Research Shows that Hitting Inanimate Objects is an Effective Way to Vent Anger.
Anti-catharsis: Research Shows that Hitting Inanimate Objects is an Ineffective Way to Vent Anger.
Control: Marijuana Smoking Linked to Bleeding Gums.

9. One of the worst essays I’ve read!
Item
Not angered
Angered
Organization
+10
-10
Originality +9 -9
Writing style
Clarity of expression +8 -8
Persuasive arguments
Overall rating
Comment:
Great essay!
One of the worst essays I’ve read!

10. Subjects Rated a List of Activities
Playing solitaire
Reading a short story
Watching a comedy
Playing a computer game
Hitting a punching bag

11. Punching bag preference
0.6
Angered
0.4
Not angered
0.2
Punching bag preference
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
Pro-Catharsis
Control
Anti-catharsis
Bushman, Baumeister, & Stack (1999) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Study 1

12. Placebo Effect
If venting works under any conditions, it should work when people believe that it works.

13. Does Venting Work if People Believe That it Works?
Subjects: 350 men, 350 women
Venting: Hit or did not hit punching bag
Message: Pro-catharsis, anti-catharsis, or control
Aggression target: Provocateur or innocent third party

14. Bushman, Baumeister, & Stack (1999) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Study 2

15. Predictions based on catharsis theory
0.6
0.4
0.2
Aggression
-0.2
-0.4
Pro-catharsis
Pro-catharsis
Control
Anti-catharsis
Didn't Hit Bag
Hit Bag

16. Actual results Anti-placebo effect
Bushman, Baumeister, & Stack (1999) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Study 2

17. Aggression Target
Displaced aggression: Target was an innocent bystander.
Direct aggression: Target was the same person who criticized the essay.
Subjects who vented were just as aggressive against an innocent bystander as against the person who criticized them.

18. Most People Love to Vent Anger! It Feels Good!
Bushman, Baumeister, & Stack (1999) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Study 2

19. Correlations between measures ____________________________________
1. Desire to hit bag — * *
2. Enjoyed hitting bag — *
3. Aggression —
Catharsis theory would predict negative correlations, but all are positive!
Bushman, Baumeister, & Stack (1999) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Study 2

20. Does Rumination Feed or Extinguish the Flame?
Subjects: 300 men, 300 women
Rumination
Distraction
Control

21. Bushman (2002) Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

22. Bushman (2002) Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

23. Dependent Measures Aggressive affect (anger) Aggressive thoughts
Aggressive behavior

24. Anger Reduction Techniques
Aggressive
Venting
Aggressive fantasy
Violent media
Nonaggressive
Relaxation
Cognitive
Behavioral
All had same effect

25. Anger Studies Subjects 92 57 10 6 4,045 5,802 316 1,199
Bushman (2006) Capped horizontal bars are 95% confidence intervals

26. Aggressive Thoughts Studies Subjects 17 146 6 7 1,523 22,985 233 649
Bushman (2006) Capped horizontal bars are 95% confidence intervals

27. Aggressive Behavior Studies Subjects 80 277 41 11 2,970 47,342 2,230
528
Bushman (2006) Capped horizontal bars are 95% confidence intervals

28. Pressure Cooker Analogy
Wait until the pressure cooker explodes.
Periodically reduce the pressure by venting steam.
Lower the flame and reduce the heat!

29. Effective Ways to Reduce Anger
Distraction: Think about something else.
Relaxation: Try to reduce arousal.
Incompatible response: Do something incompatible with anger and aggression.
Delay: Let the anger dissipate.

30. Conclusions Catharsis media messages work.
Venting anger doesn’t work (even if people believe that it does).
People feel good after venting, but the good feeling increases aggression.
Venting anger causes people to aggress against innocent bystanders.

31. Conclusions Rumination makes people more angry and aggressive.
Exercise can distract people (and is good for the heart), but it is not an effective way to reduce anger and aggression.
Four strategies do reduce anger and aggression: delay, distraction, relaxation, and incompatible responses.

32. How Do I Get This Research?
All articles are on my web page:
Questions?