Lose it to use it
Is hard work really the secret to success? Well, not really, because it turns out that anger is more effective in overcoming challenges, according to a study titled Anger has Benefits for Attaining Goals published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Attitudes and Social Cognition. The study highlights how anger compared to a neutral emotional condition resulted in behaviour that facilitated greater goal attainment for tasks that involved challenges. The findings reveal how people use anger as motivation.
The study, helmed by Heather Lench, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Texas A&M University, included six experiments. The first experiment measured the number of word puzzles that people were able to solve in different emotional states. Those who were angry completed 39 per cent more puzzles than those feeling neutral. Some other experiments were conducted to understand if the angry individuals could sign a petition or get high scores on a video game.
Akanksha Singh Chandele, counselling psychologist and Director, I Am Wellbeing (Nairatmya Foundation), points out that the study is, however, inconclusive. “Anger activates the nervous system. It triggers a rush of blood, an increase in the heart rate and higher oxygen pumping by the lungs. If you use that principle and do a task, chances are that you will do well in it because anger has led to activation in your body. That doesn’t necessarily mean anger is leading to that performance,” she says.
Contrary to general perception, the research presents anger in a positive light—a refreshing take as opposed to its discussion as an emotion that should be regulated or controlled and is hedonically aversive. Mental health practitioners and therapists believe otherwise. In their opinion, it is unfair to classify emotions as negative or positive, since all of them are relevant. “Emotions serve a purpose; they help us feel and connect our thoughts in some way to our physiological reactions.
One could look at them as binders between the mind and body,” says Tanya Percy Vasunia, a published author, researcher and psychologist. “In fact, anger is viewed as a secondary emotion, since it results from other emotions that haven’t been identified, including helplessness, disappointment or feelings of insecurity,” she adds.
So, can anger be channelised to encourage positive results? There is no denying that anger has the potential to be a powerful asset when confronting challenges, says Shevantika Nanda, a counselling psychologist. Citing an example, she says when someone doubts a person’s ability to excel in an exam, it is anger that motivates them to perform better. “Research suggests that anger is especially effective in motivating persistence and endurance-based goals that do not necessarily require creativity.
While anger may impede the generation of novel solutions, it can enhance motivation by increasing efforts towards achieving a more obvious goal,” she explains. It is, however, crucial to note that extreme anger is not desirable and the usefulness of anger as a motivator depends on the situation. For instance, in situations requiring impressing one’s boss, anger may not be helpful.
Ruchi Ruuh, a counselling psychologist, believes that when managed constructively, anger can serve as a motivating force for change, prompt problem-solving and help establish boundaries. “It’s essential to express anger assertively, communicate it effectively and channel it towards addressing the issues that are bothering a person. Anger sometimes can be a great source of self-awareness and the values we stand for,” she reiterates.
As with every emotion, balance is key. When we experience anger, the body’s fight response is activated. While this can certainly help achieve goals, but if a person is in this state for
a prolonged period of time, the constant cortisol release can have a detrimental impact on the body.
“Further, if we are responding from a dysregulated state, our communication and actions may not be as clear as we would like them to be. Responding primarily in anger and carrying anger constantly can also impact relationships, which can be detrimental to the same or other goals. On the contrary, carrying suppressed or unresolved anger can also be harmful to our mental and physical health,” advises Preeta Ganguli, a trauma-informed therapist and mental wellness consultant.
Finally, what matters is to process the anger in the right direction. Respond instead of reacting, should be the mantra.