COLUMBIA, Mo., Oct. 11 (UPI) -- A U.S. meta-analysis finds people identified as having an aggressive and irritable personality are likely to engage in aggressive behavior.
Ann Bettencourt and Amelia Talley of the University of Missouri at Columbia, Arlin James Benjamin of Panhandle State University and Jeffery Valentine of Duke University examined the association between personality variables trait aggressiveness, trait irritability, trait anger, Type A personality, dissipation-rumination, emotional susceptibility -- tendency to feel inadequate or vulnerable -- narcissism and impulsivity under provoking and relatively neutral conditions.
Study participants ranging from 7 to 48 years old were subjected to different types of provoking situations such as verbal insults, frustration in the form of difficult puzzles, physical aggression, loud noises and disparaging comments.
People who are Type A personalities have a tendency to express anger, have self-destructive tendencies and mull over upsetting situations, are emotional susceptible, narcissistic and for the most part impulsive and are more likely to behave aggressively under provoking conditions, says Bettencourt.
This type of reaction is considered "hot-blooded" because a person is usually upset by the provoking situation, which induces the aggressive behavior, according to the Psychological Bulletin.
