Multidimensional Anger Test

Take this quiz to discover your true nature.

Anger looks and feels different for everyone. Have you ever wondered how angry you are compared to your peers? Or, have you ever wondered what type of anger you experience most?

The multidimensional anger test can offer all of the answers you’re looking for. Take our 15-question quiz below, and you’ll gain insight into your own personal experience with anger. Click “Start Quiz” to begin.

A shouting, angry man is shown in profile, superimposed over another image of him standing calmly.

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Questions Overview

1. Do you sense that you’re angrier than the average person?
  1. Definitely. I really struggle with my internal rage.
  2. Probably.
  3. I think I’m about average.
  4. Definitely not. I’m less angry than the average person.
2. Have people expressed issues with your anger before?
  1. Yes. My temper has put a strain on so many relationships.
  2. 1 or 2 people have, but it’s rare that my anger becomes an issue.
  3. No, they haven’t.
  4. No. People actually tell me that I need to stand up for myself more.
3. How often do you feel angry?
  1. All the time
  2. Often
  3. Rarely
  4. Never
4. People think of me as someone who runs hot and cold. I can get annoyed (or even angry) very quickly.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
5. I can go from experiencing contentedness to my peak anger level in a short time span.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
6. So many things (traffic, loud chewing, long lines, etc.) tend to annoy me.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
7. Sometimes, I find myself feeling angry, but I can’t figure out the reason behind it.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
8. Generally speaking, I expect the worst in people around me.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
9. I sometimes assume a person’s comment was malicious, then learn I was wrong.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
10. When I get angry, it’s obvious to others. I might shout, sulk, snap at someone, or be passive-aggressive.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
11. When I’m angry, I take it out on whoever’s around me—even if it’s not their fault.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
12. I feel embarrassed and ashamed of my negative emotions, like anger.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree
13. When I feel angry or upset, I have trouble expressing it to others.
  1. Strongly agree
  2. Agree
  3. Neutral
  4. Disagree

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anger arousal<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience low levels of general anger. You probably experience less irritation and agitation than the average person, and you\u2019re unlikely to struggle with a temper. Calm people tend to live healthier, happier lives\u2014and they even report experiencing more fulfilling relationships. In short, having a cool head is pretty amazing, and so are you!It looks like your top trigger is anger arousal<\/i>, which refers to the speed and strength of a person\u2019s anger. Having a high anger arousal is like having a short fuse\u2014you might feel totally content one second, then be at your angriest in another. But overall, your total anger levels are still low, so anger arousal might not be a noticeable part of your behavior and personality.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Meditate-for-Beginners"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Calm Down When You are Angry","id":2397957,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/ff\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry-Step-21-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry-Step-21-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Calm Down When You are Angry"},{"title":"A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Meditation: Anyone Can Do It!","id":288995,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Meditate-for-Beginners","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0f\/Meditate-for-Beginners-Step-14-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Meditate-for-Beginners-Step-14-Version-3.jpg","alt":"A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Meditation: Anyone Can Do It!"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have low anger levels (top anger trigger: anger spectrum<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience low levels of general anger. You probably experience less irritation and agitation than the average person, and you\u2019re unlikely to struggle with a temper. Calm people tend to live healthier, happier lives\u2014and they even report experiencing more fulfilling relationships. In short, having a cool head is pretty amazing, and so are you!It looks like your top trigger is anger spectrum<\/i>, which refers to the number of things that make a person angry (but not the magnitude of that person\u2019s anger). So, what does this mean for you? You might find yourself feeling annoyed regularly by small things, like traffic or a spilled drink. But because your overall anger levels are low, your anger spectrum might not affect your behavior in a noticeable way.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Meditate"}],"link_data":[{"title":"Tired of Losing Your Cool? 16 Ways to Feel Less Irritable","id":801653,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People-Step-16.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People-Step-16.jpg","alt":"Tired of Losing Your Cool? 16 Ways to Feel Less Irritable"},{"title":"How to Meditate","id":30513,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Meditate","image":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e6\/Meditate-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Meditate-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Meditate"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have low anger levels (top anger trigger: hostile outlook<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience low levels of general anger. You probably experience less irritation and agitation than the average person, and you\u2019re unlikely to struggle with a temper. Calm people tend to live healthier, happier lives\u2014and they even report experiencing more fulfilling relationships. In short, having a cool head is pretty amazing, and so are you!It looks like your top trigger is hostile outlook<\/i>, which refers to your overall worldview. People with a hostile outlook might be more likely to see their experiences in a negative light, which can sometimes lead to higher levels of frustration and anger over time. Still though, because your overall anger levels are low, a hostile outlook might not affect your behavior in a noticeable way.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Keep a Positive Outlook in Life","id":996928,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life-Step-25.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life-Step-25.jpg","alt":"How to Keep a Positive Outlook in Life"},{"title":"How to Train Your Mind to Be Positive","id":12949677,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive","image":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c4\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive-Step-15.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive-Step-15.jpg","alt":"How to Train Your Mind to Be Positive"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have low anger levels (top anger trigger: external anger<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience low levels of general anger. You probably experience less irritation and agitation than the average person, and you\u2019re unlikely to struggle with a temper. Calm people tend to live healthier, happier lives\u2014and they even report experiencing more fulfilling relationships. In short, having a cool head is pretty amazing, and so are you!It looks like your top trigger is external anger<\/i>, which refers to a person\u2019s tendency to outwardly express angry feelings. In short, even though you don\u2019t experience high anger levels, your feelings might tend to be obvious to the people around you. This could mean that you\u2019ll express your anger through passive-aggression, silent treatments, or snappy comments, and you might be viewed as angrier than you actually are.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Your-Feelings-in-Writing"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Calm Down When You are Angry","id":2397957,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/ff\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry-Step-21-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry-Step-21-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Calm Down When You are Angry"},{"title":"3 Expert-Backed Ways to Convey Your Emotions through Writing","id":10952365,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Your-Feelings-in-Writing","image":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/12\/Express-Your-Feelings-in-Writing-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Express-Your-Feelings-in-Writing-Step-19.jpg","alt":"3 Expert-Backed Ways to Convey Your Emotions through Writing"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have low anger levels (top anger trigger: internal anger<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience low levels of general anger. You probably experience less irritation and agitation than the average person, and you\u2019re unlikely to struggle with a temper. Calm people tend to live healthier, happier lives\u2014and they even report experiencing more fulfilling relationships. In short, having a cool head is pretty amazing, and so are you!It looks like your top trigger is internal anger<\/i>, which refers to your tendency to keep your angry emotions inside of you. You might feel guilty or ashamed of your angry feelings and as a result, afraid to express them around other people. Because your anger levels are still very low overall, this tendency probably won\u2019t be an issue for you long-term. But if you do notice yourself falling into people-pleasing patterns, remember: anger is a part of life, and it\u2019s okay to express those feelings in healthy ways!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Your-Feelings-in-Writing"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Being-a-People-Pleaser"}],"link_data":[{"title":"3 Expert-Backed Ways to Convey Your Emotions through Writing","id":10952365,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Your-Feelings-in-Writing","image":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/12\/Express-Your-Feelings-in-Writing-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Express-Your-Feelings-in-Writing-Step-19.jpg","alt":"3 Expert-Backed Ways to Convey Your Emotions through Writing"},{"title":"How to Stop Being a People Pleaser","id":178334,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Being-a-People-Pleaser","image":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/31\/Stop-Being-a-People-Pleaser-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Being-a-People-Pleaser-Step-13.jpg","alt":"How to Stop Being a People Pleaser"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have medium anger levels (top anger trigger: anger arousal<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience an average amount of general anger. In short, you feel frustration and annoyance just like anyone else, whether it\u2019s brought on by traffic, long lines, you name it. Every now and again, you might even experience big angry feelings that cause you to lose your cool. That\u2019s totally normal\u2014and feeling a range of different emotions is actually a healthy way to live life.It looks like your top trigger is anger arousal<\/i>, which refers to the speed and strength of a person\u2019s anger. Having a high anger arousal is a bit like having a short fuse\u2014you might feel totally content one second, then be at your angriest in another. So you might find that in your experience, angry feelings come on strong but then vanish quickly. That\u2019s a common experience for people who score highest in anger arousal.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Yelling-when-Angry"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-Quickly"}],"link_data":[{"title":"10 Ways to Stop Yelling When You\u2019re Mad","id":9613943,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Yelling-when-Angry","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0e\/Stop-Yelling-when-Angry-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Yelling-when-Angry-Step-13.jpg","alt":"10 Ways to Stop Yelling When You\u2019re Mad"},{"title":"How to Calm Down Quickly","id":876648,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-Quickly","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Calm-Down-Quickly-Step-19-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Calm-Down-Quickly-Step-19-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Calm Down Quickly"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have medium anger levels (top anger trigger: anger spectrum<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience an average amount of general anger. In short, you feel frustration and annoyance just like anyone else, whether it\u2019s brought on by traffic, long lines, you name it. Every now and again, you might even experience big angry feelings that cause you to lose your cool. That\u2019s totally normal\u2014and feeling a range of different emotions is actually a healthy way to live life.It looks like your top trigger is anger spectrum<\/i>, which refers to the number of things that make a person angry (but not the magnitude of a person\u2019s anger). So, what does this mean for you? You might find yourself regularly feeling annoyed by small things, like traffic or a spilled drink. But on the other hand, you might find that your angry feelings are minor and don\u2019t necessarily result in a big (or even a noticeable!) reaction. This is a common experience for people who score highest for anger spectrum.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Meditate"}],"link_data":[{"title":"Tired of Losing Your Cool? 16 Ways to Feel Less Irritable","id":801653,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People-Step-16.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People-Step-16.jpg","alt":"Tired of Losing Your Cool? 16 Ways to Feel Less Irritable"},{"title":"How to Meditate","id":30513,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Meditate","image":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e6\/Meditate-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Meditate-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Meditate"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have medium anger levels (top anger trigger: hostile outlook<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience an average amount of general anger. In short, you feel frustration and annoyance just like anyone else, whether it\u2019s brought on by traffic, long lines, you name it. Every now and again, you might even experience big angry feelings that cause you to lose your cool. That\u2019s totally normal\u2014and feeling a range of different emotions is actually a healthy way to live life.It looks like your top trigger is hostile outlook<\/i>, which refers to your overall worldview. These people are more likely to view their experiences in a negative light. So if someone makes a meaningless comment, you might perceive it as a slight; if someone lets you down, you might assume they did it purposefully. This outlook can increase angry feelings over time\u2014but here\u2019s the good news: you can easily work to maintain a more positive lens, which can help you feel happier and more fulfilled!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Keep a Positive Outlook in Life","id":996928,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life-Step-25.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life-Step-25.jpg","alt":"How to Keep a Positive Outlook in Life"},{"title":"How to Train Your Mind to Be Positive","id":12949677,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive","image":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c4\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive-Step-15.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive-Step-15.jpg","alt":"How to Train Your Mind to Be Positive"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have medium anger levels (top anger trigger: external anger<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience an average amount of general anger. In short, you feel frustration and annoyance just like anyone else, whether it\u2019s brought on by traffic, long lines, you name it. Every now and again, you might even experience big angry feelings that cause you to lose your cool. That\u2019s totally normal\u2014and feeling a range of different emotions is actually a healthy way to live life.It looks like your top trigger is external anger<\/i>, which refers to your tendency to outwardly express angry feelings. In short, even though you don\u2019t experience high anger levels, your emotions tend to be obvious to the people around you. You might slam a door, make a frustrated comment, or clearly clam up when you\u2019re upset. This might make you seem angrier than you actually are at times, but as long as you focus on expressing your feelings in a healthy way, there\u2019s nothing wrong with that.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Control-Your-Temper"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Calm Down When You are Angry","id":2397957,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry","image":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/ff\/Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry-Step-21-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Calm-Down-When-You-are-Angry-Step-21-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Calm Down When You are Angry"},{"title":"How to Control Your Temper","id":107652,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Control-Your-Temper","image":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/76\/Control-Your-Temper-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Control-Your-Temper-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Control Your Temper"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have medium anger levels (top anger trigger: internal anger<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, it seems like you experience an average amount of general anger. In short, you feel frustration and annoyance just like anyone else, whether it\u2019s brought on by traffic, long lines, you name it. Every now and again, you might even experience big angry feelings that cause you to lose your cool. That\u2019s totally normal\u2014and feeling a range of different emotions is actually a healthy way to live life.It looks like your top trigger is internal anger<\/i>, which refers to your tendency to keep your angry emotions inside of you. You might feel guilty or ashamed of negative emotions and as a result, afraid to express them around other people. So, though you feel an average amount of angry feelings, your friends and family might assume that your anger levels are below average.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Anger-in-a-Relationship"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Release-Negative-Emotions"}],"link_data":[{"title":"10 Healthy Strategies for Expressing Anger in a Relationship","id":12661909,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Anger-in-a-Relationship","image":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Express-Anger-in-a-Relationship-Step-10.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Express-Anger-in-a-Relationship-Step-10.jpg","alt":"10 Healthy Strategies for Expressing Anger in a Relationship"},{"title":"How to Release Negative Emotions","id":1270184,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Release-Negative-Emotions","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/82\/Release-Negative-Emotions-Step-13-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Release-Negative-Emotions-Step-13-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Release Negative Emotions"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have high anger levels (top anger trigger: anger arousal<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, you have higher than average anger levels. It seems like you might struggle with frustration, annoyance, and rage more than others around you\u2014and that\u2019s sometimes a difficult position to be in. When angry feelings pop up, it can take so much inner strength to manage and process them in a healthy way, but you\u2019ve probably already found tons of great ways to cope. We\u2019re proud of you for your efforts!It looks like your top trigger is anger arousal<\/i>, which refers to the speed and strength of a person\u2019s anger. Having a high anger arousal is like having a short fuse\u2014you might feel totally content one second, then be at your angriest in another. For you, angry feelings might come on strong but then, vanish quickly. To manage this, you might focus on limiting big, impulsive reactions to your angry feelings (during conflict, try deep breaths or taking a break in another room).If you\u2019re worried about your anger levels, consider speaking to your doctor or therapist to get more information. And until then, check out our guides for coping with angry feelings in a healthy way.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Anger-Without-Hurting-People"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-Quickly"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Express Anger Without Hurting People","id":553387,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Anger-Without-Hurting-People","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/da\/Express-Anger-Without-Hurting-People-Step-24-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Express-Anger-Without-Hurting-People-Step-24-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Express Anger Without Hurting People"},{"title":"How to Calm Down Quickly","id":876648,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Calm-Down-Quickly","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Calm-Down-Quickly-Step-19-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Calm-Down-Quickly-Step-19-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Calm Down Quickly"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have high anger levels (top anger trigger: anger spectrum<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, you have higher than average anger levels. It seems like you might struggle with frustration, annoyance, and rage more than others around you do\u2014and that\u2019s sometimes a difficult position to be in. When angry feelings pop up, it can take so much inner strength to manage and process them in a healthy way, but you\u2019ve probably already found tons of great ways to cope. We\u2019re proud of you for your efforts!It looks like your top trigger is anger spectrum<\/i>, which refers to the number of things that make a person angry (but not the magnitude of their anger). So you might find yourself getting annoyed regularly by small things, like traffic or a spilled drink. For you, avoiding angry feelings can feel like walking through a landmine, which can become draining over time.If you\u2019re worried about your anger levels, consider speaking to your doctor or therapist to get more information. And until then, check out our guides for coping with angry feelings in a healthy way.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Meditate"}],"link_data":[{"title":"Tired of Losing Your Cool? 16 Ways to Feel Less Irritable","id":801653,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People-Step-16.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-Less-Annoyed-With-People-Step-16.jpg","alt":"Tired of Losing Your Cool? 16 Ways to Feel Less Irritable"},{"title":"How to Meditate","id":30513,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Meditate","image":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e6\/Meditate-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Meditate-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Meditate"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have high anger levels (top anger trigger: hostile outlook<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, you have higher than average anger levels. It seems like you might struggle with frustration, annoyance, and rage more than others around you do\u2014and that\u2019s sometimes a difficult position to be in. When angry feelings pop up, it can take so much inner strength to manage and process them in a healthy way, but you\u2019ve probably already found tons of great ways to cope. We\u2019re proud of you for your efforts!It looks like your top trigger is hostile outlook<\/i>, which refers to your overall worldview. These people are more likely to view their experiences in a negative light. So if someone makes a meaningless comment, you might perceive it as a slight; if someone lets you down, you might assume they did it purposefully. This outlook can increase angry feelings over time\u2014but here\u2019s the good news: you can easily work to maintain a more positive lens, which can help you feel happier and more fulfilled!If you\u2019re worried about your anger levels, consider speaking to your doctor or therapist to get more information. And until then, check out our guides for coping with angry feelings in a healthy way.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Keep a Positive Outlook in Life","id":996928,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0a\/Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life-Step-25.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Keep-a-Positive-Outlook-in-Life-Step-25.jpg","alt":"How to Keep a Positive Outlook in Life"},{"title":"How to Train Your Mind to Be Positive","id":12949677,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive","image":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c4\/Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive-Step-15.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Train-Your-Mind-to-Be-Positive-Step-15.jpg","alt":"How to Train Your Mind to Be Positive"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have high anger levels (top anger trigger: external anger<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, you have higher than average anger levels. It seems like you might struggle with frustration, annoyance, and rage more than others around you do\u2014and that\u2019s sometimes a difficult position to be in. When angry feelings pop up, it can take so much inner strength to manage and process them in a healthy way, but you\u2019ve probably already found tons of great ways to cope. We\u2019re proud of you for your efforts!It looks like your top trigger is external anger<\/i>, which refers to your tendency to outwardly express angry feelings. In short, your emotions tend to be obvious to the people around you. You might slam a door, make a frustrated comment, or clearly clam up when you\u2019re upset. To manage your anger, you may want to focus on finding healthy ways to express your anger. Journaling, exercise, and creative outlets can all be excellent for channeling emotions in a way that doesn\u2019t negatively affect your relationships.If you\u2019re worried about your anger levels, consider speaking to your doctor or therapist to get more information. And until then, check out our guides for coping with angry feelings in a healthy way.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Yelling-when-Angry"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Apologize-After-Bad-Behavior"}],"link_data":[{"title":"10 Ways to Stop Yelling When You\u2019re Mad","id":9613943,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Stop-Yelling-when-Angry","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0e\/Stop-Yelling-when-Angry-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Yelling-when-Angry-Step-13.jpg","alt":"10 Ways to Stop Yelling When You\u2019re Mad"},{"title":"How to Apologize After Bad Behavior","id":1734222,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Apologize-After-Bad-Behavior","image":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/32\/Express-Gratitude-Step-13.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Express-Gratitude-Step-13.jpg","alt":"How to Apologize After Bad Behavior"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"You have high anger levels (top anger trigger: internal anger<\/i>).","meaning":"Looking at your quiz results, you have higher than average anger levels. It seems like you might struggle with frustration, annoyance, and rage more than others around you do\u2014and that\u2019s sometimes a difficult position to be in. When angry feelings pop up, it can take so much inner strength to manage and process them in a healthy way, but you\u2019ve probably already found tons of great ways to cope. We\u2019re proud of you for your efforts!It looks like your top trigger is internal anger<\/i>, which refers to your tendency to keep your angry emotions inside of you. You might feel guilty or ashamed of your feelings and as a result, afraid to express them around other people. So, though you experience more than the average amount of angry feelings, your friends and family might not think of you that way. Remember, it\u2019s totally okay to express your emotions as long as you do it in a healthy way!If you\u2019re worried about your anger levels, consider speaking to your doctor to get more information. And until then, check out our guides for coping with angry feelings in a healthy way.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Anger-in-a-Relationship"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Release-Negative-Emotions"}],"link_data":[{"title":"10 Healthy Strategies for Expressing Anger in a Relationship","id":12661909,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Express-Anger-in-a-Relationship","image":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Express-Anger-in-a-Relationship-Step-10.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Express-Anger-in-a-Relationship-Step-10.jpg","alt":"10 Healthy Strategies for Expressing Anger in a Relationship"},{"title":"How to Release Negative Emotions","id":1270184,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Release-Negative-Emotions","image":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/82\/Release-Negative-Emotions-Step-13-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Release-Negative-Emotions-Step-13-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Release Negative Emotions"}],"minimum":0}]" class="quiz_results_data"/>\"Depression<\/picture>","alt":"Depression Test"},{"title":"Anger Issues Test","id":13802616,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Anger-Issues-Test","image":"\"Anger<\/picture>","alt":"Anger Issues Test"},{"title":"Imposter Syndrome Test","id":13520254,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Imposter-Syndrome-Test","image":"\"Imposter<\/picture>","alt":"Imposter Syndrome Test"}],"number":1},{"text":"Not bad. I get upset sometimes but in ways that make sense to me.","result":"That's great! We have some quizzes you might like to help you understand yourself even better:","next_quizzes":[{"title":"What Type of Person Am I Quiz","id":13974160,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/What-Type-of-Person-Am-I","image":"\"What<\/picture>","alt":"What Type of Person Am I Quiz"},{"title":"Introvert or Extrovert Quiz","id":13737789,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Introvert-or-Extrovert-Quiz","image":"\"Introvert<\/picture>","alt":"Introvert or Extrovert Quiz"},{"title":"What Kind of Reality Check Do I Need Quiz","id":13747022,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Reality-Check-Quiz","image":"\"Reality<\/picture>","alt":"What Kind of Reality Check Do I Need Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>

Multidimensional Anger Spectrum: Everything You Need to Know

Anger arousal: This refers to how quickly and strongly a person’s anger develops. Someone who scores high on “anger arousal” may be especially likely to transition from totally content to angry very quickly. You might think of these people as having a “short fuse”—and you might expect them to be reactive in conversation.

Anger spectrum: This refers to the number of things that make a person angry, not about the magnitude or speed of a person’s anger. So if someone scores highly on “anger spectrum,” you’d expect them to be triggered pretty often, by anything from a perceived slight, to traffic, to a spilled drink. This doesn’t mean that each time they get angry they’re reacting in a big way though, just that they tend to experience anger to some degree relatively often.

Hostile outlook: If someone scores high on “hostile outlook,” it means that generally speaking, they expect the worst in the world around them. As you can imagine, this could lead to an increase in angry feelings—if someone’s more likely to perceive a harmless comment as malicious, they’d also be more likely to feel angry as a result. Though it’s worth noting that a hostile outlook doesn’t always mean that a person experiences more anger. Technically, someone could have a hostile outlook without negative feelings to match.

External anger: This measures a person’s outward expression of anger. In short, this describes the likelihood that someone will release their angry feelings onto their surroundings. People who score high on external anger might be likely to yell at their friends or be passive-aggressive when they feel upset. As you’d expect, this can affect their ability to form healthy, positive connections with others.

Internal anger: Internal anger refers to a person’s tendency to keep their emotions on the inside, without making them known to the people around them. They may feel guilty about their angry feelings and fearful about expressing them outwardly. These people may also struggle with people-pleasing tendencies, like trouble setting boundaries.

Learning to Manage and Release Anger

  • Take a beat before you speak. Anger can make all of us say and do things that we regret later on, but you can take steps to improve that over time. Here’s a golden rule to stick to: when you’re angry, don’t say the first thing that pops into your mind. Instead, force yourself to take a second to think, then share your thoughts after you’ve considered everything carefully.
  • Release anger through exercise. Exercise is closely connected to reduced stress and anger, so if you’re looking to curb your temper, this is a great place to start. Experts suggest at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. Why not get started via your favorite active hobbies? Check out this list of ideas for inspiration:
  • Walk away when you’re feeling angry. There’s no shame in taking time to yourself when you’re upset. In fact, timeouts are strongly linked to reduced anger and healthy reactions to angry feelings. So the next time you get into a fight with a friend or your partner does something upsetting, don’t react right away—instead, take some time alone, think things through, and return to the conversation when you’re feeling better.
    • Use this script: “I hear you, I think I need a second to calm down and think. I’ll let you know as soon as I’m ready to talk.”
  • Find ways to relax. Relaxation is a superpower in the fight against anger! Relaxation is known to chip away at angry tendencies and deep-seated feelings over time. In short, the more you can find ways to enjoy peaceful moments, the less power anger has to control you. Try some of these ways to relax:
  • Focus on problem-solving, not your feelings. When you’re angry and caught up in the moment, it can feel tempting to harp on your feelings (I can not believe how mad I am. Why did they do that to me?). But in reality this gives them more power over you. Instead, if you shift into problem-solving mode, you might find that you have an easier time releasing your anger quickly. Here’s an example:
    • "I’m so angry! My partner left the dishes in the sink..."
    • What not to do: Continue to mull over your angry feelings, giving them power.
    • What you can do: Ask yourself: how can I fix this problem in the long term? You might decide to talk to your partner and set new expectations, express how you’re feeling, and finally, ask them to clean the dishes themselves.

Want to learn more about anger and emotional control?

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