Most damagingly, anger weakens a person’s ability to think clearly and keep control over his behaviour. The angry person loses objectivity in evaluating the emotional significance of the person or situation that arouses his anger.
Not everyone experiences anger in the same way; what angers one person may amuse another. The specific expression of anger also differs from person to person based on biological and cultural forces. In contemporary culture, physical expressions of anger are generally considered too socially harmful to be tolerated. We no longer regard duels (决斗) as an appropriate expression of anger resulting from one person’s awareness of insulting behaviour on the part of another.
Anger can be identified in the brain, where the electrical activity changes. Under most conditions EEG (脑电图) measures of electrical activity show balanced activity between the right and left prefrontal (额叶前部) areas. Behaviourally this corresponds to the general even-handed disposition (意向) that most of us possess most of the time. But when we are angry the EEG of the right and left prefrontal areas aren’t balanced and, as a result of this, we’re likely to react. And our behavioural response to anger is different from our response to other emotions, whether positive or negative.
Most positive emotions are associated with approach behaviour: we move closer to people we like. Most negative emotions, in contrast, are associated with avoidance behaviour: we move away from people and things that we dislike or that make us anxious. But anger is an exception to this pattern. The angrier we are, the more likely we are to move towards the object of our anger. This corresponds to what psychologists refer to as of ensive anger: the angry person moves closer in order to influence and control the person or situation causing his anger. This approach-and-confront behaviour is accompanied by a leftward prefrontal asymmetry (不对称) of EEG activity. Interestingly, this asymmetry lessens if the angry person can experience empathy (同感) towards the individual who is bringing forth the angry response. In defensive anger, in contrast, the EEG asymmetry is directed to the right and the angry person feels helpless in the face of the anger-inspiring situation.
61. The “duels” example in Paragraph 2 proves that the expression of anger ________.
A. usually has a biological basis B. varies among people
C. is socially and culturally shaped D. influences one’s thinking and evaluation
62. What changes can be found in an angry brain?
A. Balanced electrical activity can be spotted.
B. Unbalanced patterns are found in prefrontal areas.
C. Electrical activity corresponds to one’s behaviour.
D. Electrical activity agrees with one’s disposition.
63. Which of the following is typical of offensive anger?
A. Approaching the source of anger. B. Trying to control what is disliked.
C. Moving away from what is disliked. D. Feeling helpless in the face of anger.
64. What is the key message of the last paragraph?
A. How anger differs from other emotions. B. How anger relates to other emotions.
C. Behavioural responses to anger. D. Behavioural patterns of anger.