Chapter 5: Managing Anger
Defining Anger
The three general types of anger expression are:
- Aggressive
- Passive
- Assertive
Aggressive anger: Anger expressed in this way is directed at the other person to hurt him/her emotionally, physically or psychologically. Yelling, put-downs, and hitting are examples of aggressive anger.
Passive anger: A person internalizes the expression of anger when he or she avoids dealing with the situation that contributed to feelings of anger. The anger can then be expressed by getting even, holding a grudge, or being mean at some time in the future. Spreading nasty rumors, not speaking to the person, and damaging property can be examples of passive anger.
Assertive anger: This is usually the best way to communicate feelings of anger because anger is expressed directly and in a nonthreatening way to the person involved. A statement such as “I feel angry when you …” is an example of assertive anger.