Anger

The Wrath (Latin, ira ) is an elementary state of strong emotional arousal ( affect) with different aggressive tendency that is associated in part with autonomic concomitants. Its counterpart is the gentleness.

The term already exists in Middle High German / Old High German anger; West Germanic turna. The word is attested since the 9th century.

More precise definition

On one hand, he appears as a fierce anger, wutartiger affect, as anger or outburst of anger, which can lead to uncontrolled actions or words. The anger appears as ruler of the people, who no longer controlled his part his emotions. On the other hand, occurs as a persistent anger, just appearing " wrath " on ( as resentment, anger outdated Grimm or more designated ). Known forms of peasant anger, anger citizens, people's anger, voter anger; Gods wrath, wrath of God, holy wrath.

Anger is more directed towards a specific person or group, while anger can explode just by all sides. The anger is in contrast to anger a slight advance (about a profoundly unjust treatment ), which feeds the forward- retribution or satisfaction arousal state psychologically. When anger, however, the agitation feeds rather, for example, the denial of a claim or need (such as the angry child who did not get a candy, or the angry father, the respect was denied ). The goal here is less retribution, but the distinct expression of anger and dissatisfaction with the aim to warn the other person clearly. Another arousal state is the outrage that has a violation of the general morality as a reason for an emotional response.

Aristotle is one of anger to his eleven basic emotions, the American psychologist Paul Ekman 's view ( b. 1934 ), he belongs to the family of anger expression, according to Carroll Izard (* 1924) is it, this is one of ten basic emotions. Limiting factor must be mentioned that the concept of basic emotions in the psychological research is controversial and there is no agreement on how many and which emotions are basic and why they should be so. In this context, it is spoken instead of anger in equal importance of anger or rage.

Cultural History

In Homer's Iliad the wrath of Achilles is an important motive. The actual mood Achilles ' has become achos, the pressing, agonizing pain.

A special role grants Lactantius in his De ira dei the wrath of God a. In contrast to the distant and dispassionate gods with Epicurus and the Stoics was the wrath of the Christian God, who punishes and threatens a prerequisite for the fear of God, which is in turn a prerequisite for all religion. The religion in turn is loud Lactantius is the foundation of wisdom and justice ( De ira dei, 12). God would not be a guarantee of the good world order if he did whether the iniquities of evil men do not become angry.

In Christian theology anger is one of the " Seven major vices ." It is displayed according allegorically in Western art.