Thursday, September 24, 2009

Letting Off Steam

24 September 2009

In an article in today's Psychology Today online, Art Markman debunks the myth that venting anger by blowing one's top or by letting off steam might have a positive effect.  To the contrary, he notes, humans are not like kettles full of heated water, and anger is not steam.  Instead, when a person acts violently as a result of anger, the violent reaction becomes associated with and more closely linked to future anger.  Contrary to popular belief, when a person "acts out" to release "steam" one time, they are more likely in the future to react with violence. 

When a person is feeling angry, it is better to sit quietly or meditate to calm one's self down. 

Here is a link to the article:  Anger Is Not Heated Fluid In A Container

 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for your comment!