2008 | Eatough, Virginia and Smith, Jonathan A. and Shaw, R.
This study explores the subjective experience of anger and anger-related aggression among women through an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Five women were interviewed twice, and their accounts were analyzed using IPA, which focuses on the lived experience of anger and aggression. The analysis revealed three main themes: the subjective experience of anger, the forms and contexts of aggression, and anger as moral judgment. Women described anger as a complex, often intense emotion involving physical sensations, emotional confusion, and a range of feelings. Anger was frequently accompanied by crying, which served as a way to manage emotions and express feelings of frustration or helplessness. Women also experienced multiple emotions simultaneously, including guilt, regret, and anger. Aggression was expressed in various forms, including direct physical and verbal aggression, as well as indirect and covert strategies. Women often used indirect aggression to express anger when direct confrontation was not possible, such as through verbal insults or acts of sabotage. The study highlights the importance of context in understanding women's anger and aggression, as well as the role of social relationships in shaping these experiences. The findings suggest that women's anger and aggression are deeply influenced by their social and emotional environments, and that understanding these experiences requires a nuanced, context-sensitive approach. The study contributes to the understanding of women's anger and aggression by providing a detailed, phenomenological analysis of their lived experiences.This study explores the subjective experience of anger and anger-related aggression among women through an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Five women were interviewed twice, and their accounts were analyzed using IPA, which focuses on the lived experience of anger and aggression. The analysis revealed three main themes: the subjective experience of anger, the forms and contexts of aggression, and anger as moral judgment. Women described anger as a complex, often intense emotion involving physical sensations, emotional confusion, and a range of feelings. Anger was frequently accompanied by crying, which served as a way to manage emotions and express feelings of frustration or helplessness. Women also experienced multiple emotions simultaneously, including guilt, regret, and anger. Aggression was expressed in various forms, including direct physical and verbal aggression, as well as indirect and covert strategies. Women often used indirect aggression to express anger when direct confrontation was not possible, such as through verbal insults or acts of sabotage. The study highlights the importance of context in understanding women's anger and aggression, as well as the role of social relationships in shaping these experiences. The findings suggest that women's anger and aggression are deeply influenced by their social and emotional environments, and that understanding these experiences requires a nuanced, context-sensitive approach. The study contributes to the understanding of women's anger and aggression by providing a detailed, phenomenological analysis of their lived experiences.