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The impact of rumination on aggressive thoughts, feelings, arousal, and behaviour

Pedersen, William C., Denson, Thomas F., Goss, R. Justin, Vasquez, Eduardo A., Kelley, Nicholas J., Miller, Norman (2011) The impact of rumination on aggressive thoughts, feelings, arousal, and behaviour. British Journal of Social Psychology, 50 (2). pp. 281-301. ISSN 0144-6665. (doi:10.1348/014466610X515696) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:35020)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/014466610X515696

Abstract

Although rumination following a provocation can increase aggression, no research has examined the processes responsible for this phenomenon. With predictions derived from the General Aggression Model, three experiments explored the impact of two types of post-provocation rumination on the processes whereby rumination augments aggression. In Experiment 1, relative to distraction, self-focused rumination uniquely increased the accessibility of arousal cognition, whereas provocation-focused rumination uniquely amplified the accessibility of aggressive action cognition. In Experiment 2, provocation-focused rumination uniquely increased systolic blood pressure. In Experiment 3, both types of rumination increased aggressive behaviour relative to a distraction condition. Angry affect partially mediated the effects of both provocation- and self-focused rumination on aggression. Self-critical negative affect partially mediated the effect of self-focused rumination but not provocation-focused rumination. These findings suggest that provocation-focused rumination influences angry affect, aggressive action cognition, and cardiovascular arousal, whereas self-focused rumination increases self-critical negative affect, angry affect, and arousal cognition. These studies enhance our understanding of why two types of post-provocation rumination increase aggressive behaviour.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1348/014466610X515696
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Eduardo Vasquez
Date Deposited: 27 Aug 2013 15:47 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:12 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/35020 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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