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Want to achieve your goals? Get angry, say researchers
Medical Xpress / American Psychological Association / Journal of Personality and Social Psychology ^ | Oct. 30, 2023 | Heather Lench et al

Posted on 11/01/2023 6:33:03 PM PDT by ConservativeMind

While often perceived as a negative emotion, anger can also be a powerful motivator for people to achieve challenging goals in their lives, according to research.

"People often believe that a state of happiness is ideal," said Heather Lench, Ph.D. "Previous research suggests that a mix of emotions, including negative emotions like anger, result in the best outcomes."

To better understand the role of anger in achieving goals, researchers conducted a series of experiments involving more than 1,000 participants and analyzed survey data from more than 1,400 respondents. In each experiment, researchers elicited either an emotional response (such as anger, amusement, desire or sadness) or a neutral emotional state, and then presented participants with a challenging goal.

In one experiment, participants were shown visuals designed to elicit specific emotional or neutral responses and then asked to solve a series of word puzzles. In another, the goal was to attain high scores on a skiing video game, with one game that involved challenging play (avoiding flags on a slalom course) and one easier game that involved only a jump.

Across all the experiments, anger improved people's ability to reach their goals compared with a neutral condition in a variety of challenging situations. In some cases, it was associated with increased scores or shorter response times. In one experiment, it also increased cheating to achieve a better outcome.

The researchers also analyzed data from a series of surveys collected during the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections. Survey participants who indicated they would be angry if their candidate did not win were more likely to vote in the election.

The effects of anger in spurring people to reach for and frequently achieve their goals were specific to situations where the goals were more challenging, according to Lench.

(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: anger; donatefreerepublic; medicalxpress; motivation
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To: ConservativeMind

Hate the Commies, of course, but have always agreed with the Commie slogan: Don’t Mourn - Organize!


21 posted on 11/01/2023 7:36:45 PM PDT by jocon307
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To: ConservativeMind

I think theres probably some kind of link between anger and seriousness, ie taking something seriously and powering through it. Getting a little angry and being seriois about just getting it done. Then once its done you can be happy a bit and celebrate the success.


22 posted on 11/01/2023 7:42:32 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: ConservativeMind

“That’s my secret....”

https://youtu.be/8mhadN-8oZE?si=5vcwxzhm7Kb7YwY5


23 posted on 11/01/2023 7:55:16 PM PDT by RasterMaster ("Towering genius disdains a beaten path." - Abraham Lincoln)
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To: ConservativeMind

So anger can be a great motivator. What else is new? Did the taxpayers get ripped off? Funding this useless “research”?

So called scientists can be the worst welfare bums. Sucking down billions of Federal dollars with their global warming research, and so on.


24 posted on 11/01/2023 8:01:35 PM PDT by dennisw (Never attribute to incompetence-stupidity, that which is adequately explained by malice.)
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To: ConservativeMind

“Want to achieve your goals? Get angry, say researchers”

worked for me the other day when i returned a carton of Great Value eggs to walmart that were broken on the bottom ... the idiot woman at the service counter said they couldn’t accept returns of damaged food items ... i got REALLY loud and a supervisor came scurrying out from behind and told the stupid woman it was OK to do the return ... places like this HATE when you get loud enough that everyone around you hears that a big commotion is underway ...


25 posted on 11/01/2023 8:30:27 PM PDT by catnipman (A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil)
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To: ConservativeMind

The squeaky wheel theory.

Angry activists set the agenda for the world - everywhere, but especially in the west.


26 posted on 11/01/2023 9:31:48 PM PDT by aquila48 (Do not let them make you "care" ! Guilting you is how they control you. )
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To: ConservativeMind

I excelled in college, and proceeded on to attend a prestigious law school because somebody pissed me off. I was talking with a guy and mentioned my goal to graduate with honors. He looked at me and laughed. It was the early 80s and I was a sweet, soft spoken blonde. I kept smiling but inside I went ballistic. This guy had No Idea who he was dealing with. I was a serious and ambitious scholar and now I was angry enough to completely commit to it.
That anger was a great motivator.


27 posted on 11/01/2023 10:03:48 PM PDT by married21 (As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.)
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To: ConservativeMind

Be Ye Angry and Sin Not !
.
That’s an Oldie but Goodie for Me.


28 posted on 11/02/2023 5:35:56 AM PDT by Big Red Badger (The Truman Show)
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To: ConservativeMind
So, go ahead and get angry!

Screw you, you jerk!

29 posted on 11/02/2023 5:38:36 AM PDT by Lazamataz (The firearms I own today, are the firearms I will die with. How I die will be up to them.)
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To: coloradan; Tilted Irish Kilt; Qiviut; null and void

I am so angry about Ukraine, Israel, and Covid/vaccines. Now my partner has decided to develop his Buddah mind. So glad I can bitch here at FR.


30 posted on 11/02/2023 6:59:29 PM PDT by gleeaikin ( Question authority!)
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To: gleeaikin

Add zinc, magnesium, melatonin and Valium to your supplements...


31 posted on 11/02/2023 7:10:05 PM PDT by null and void (If you support monsters you will die in the cross fire.)
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To: Leaning Right

What have you got there, the pug of cats?


32 posted on 11/02/2023 7:12:00 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: catnipman

Did your mother not teach you to quickly brush your hand across eggs before buying them to make sure they weren’t broken?

How is a store to know they weren’t broken after you bought them?


33 posted on 11/02/2023 7:13:35 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: central_va

Testosterone, no doubt, plays a role here.


34 posted on 11/02/2023 7:14:52 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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