Citation

Denson TF, White AJ, Warburton WA. J. Res. Pers. 2009; 43(4): 673-681.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jrp.2009.04.003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

When angered, alcohol and rumination increase aggression toward the source of a subsequent minor annoyance. Little is known about individual differences that moderate this phenomenon. One hundred university students (47 men, 53 women) were provoked and given either alcohol or placebo and subsequently induced to ruminate or engage in distraction. Participants were then given the opportunity to aggress against a somewhat annoying fictitious participant by determining the amount of hot sauce the other participant must consume. Alcohol and rumination independently augmented aggressive behavior, and these effects were moderated by trait displaced aggression and psychopathy, respectively. These findings suggest alcohol use and rumination as targets of intervention, specifically for those high in trait displaced aggression and psychopathy.