Less educated, youth unable to control anger

TORONTO - Younger people, those with children and less-educated individuals are more likely to experience anger, according to new research.

Compared to people with fewer years of education, the well-educated are less likely to experience anger and, when they do, they are more likely to act proactively (trying to change the situation or talking it over).

Drawing upon a national survey of more than 1,000 Americans aged 18 and older, Scott Schieman, sociology professor at the University of Toronto (UT), has come up with new findings about the most common negative emotion - anger.

Younger people experience more frequent anger than older adults because they are more likely to feel time pressures, economic hardship, and interpersonal conflict at the workplace (three core stressers that elevate anger levels).

Feeling rushed for time is the strongest predictor of anger. Having children at home is associated with angry feelings and behaviour (yelling) and these patterns are stronger among women than men, according to an UT release.

Individuals who experience more financial strain tend to report higher levels of anger. This relationship is much stronger among women and younger adults.

“The sociological analysis of anger can shed light on the ways that the conditions of society influence emotional inequality,” says Schieman.

These findings will be published in the International Handbook of Anger in January.