title: Experimental manipulation of avoidable feelings of uncertainty: Effects on anger and anxiety.
abstract: Though anger and anxiety are related, putative explanations for this association remain unclear. Beliefs about one's state of uncertainty may be a pathway-the belief that one's uncertain state is unavoidable might lead to anxiety, whereas the belief that one's uncertain state is avoidable might lead to both anxiety and anger. To test this hypothesis, participants experienced an uncertainty induction and were then assigned to the avoidable uncertainty condition (experimental group) or the unavoidable uncertainty condition (control group). State anger and anxiety were assessed at baseline, following the uncertainty induction, and following the "avoidableness" manipulation. The uncertainty induction was successful; participants reported higher levels of anxiety at post-induction compared to baseline. As expected, the experimental group reported increases in anger from post-induction to post-manipulation whereas the control group reported decreases in anger. These findings suggest that when one's state of uncertainty is avoidable, anger is experienced alongside anxiety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Canada.
authors.forename: Kristin G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Canada.
authors.forename: Sonya S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Deschênes
authors.affiliation: Département de psychoéducation et de psychologie, Université du Québec en Outaouais, 283 Boulevard Alexandre-Taché, P.O. Box 1250, Station Hull, Gatineau, Québec J8X 3X7, Canada. Electronic address: michel.dugas@uqo.ca.
authors.forename: Michel J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dugas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger / Q000502:physiology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035501:Uncertainty; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anger; Anxiety; Appraisals; Experimental manipulation; Uncertainty