Individual differences in responses to anger recall: The role of social inhibition
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ObjectiveSocial inhibition (SI) is a personality trait associated with the suppression of emotions. Suppressed anger has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, due to prolonged sympathetic activation. We aimed to examine the role of SI and its underlying facets (behavioral inhibition, interpersonal sensitivity, and social withdrawal) in explaining individual differences in anger-induced autonomic reactivity and recovery.MethodsThe sample consisted of 143 undergraduate students (Mage=20.3, SD=2.2; 80% women). Participants completed the 15 item Social Inhibition Questionnaire and participated in the Anger Recall task, while continuous blood pressure, electrodermal activity, and an electrocardiogram were recorded. Subjective anger responses were assessed before and after the Anger Recall task. Repeated-measures-ANOVAs were adjusted for the effects of sex.ResultsThe SI total score (F=8.14, p=.005) and interpersonal sensitivity (F=5.32, p=.023) were associated with increased experienced anger throughout the experiment. Moderate social withdrawal was associated with heightened skin sympathetic reactivity in response to anger induction (FSCL=5.28, p=.024). SI total score in women was associated with stronger parasympathetic withdrawal (FRMSSD=4.87, p=.029), whereas interpersonal sensitivity in men was associated with heightened hemodynamic reactivity (FSBP=9.89, p=.002; FDBP=6.41, p=.013) in response to anger induction. SI was unrelated to individual differences in recovery.DiscussionIndividual differences in social inhibition in response to anger seem to be mostly driven by sex specific responses. Our results reflect the importance of investigating the underlying facets of social inhibition separately to understand which aspects of social inhibition might contribute to health-related outcomes.
Institution: Tilburg University
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,540
OpenAlex ID: W4415393245