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Shred Your Anger Away: Study Discovers Reduce Anger Method

Study Suggests Writing and Shredding Angry Thoughts Can Reduce Anger Significantly

May 9, 2024

A new study by researchers at Nagoya University, Japan, suggests a simple yet effective technique for managing anger: writing down your angry thoughts and then destroying the paper.

Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the study investigated whether expressing anger through writing and discarding the written expression could reduce feelings of anger.

Shred Your Anger Away: Study Discovers Reduce Anger Method

Study Design

Researchers recruited over 100 students to participate in the experiment. Participants were asked to write down their opinions on social issues, under the impression their writing would be evaluated by a doctoral student. Regardless of the actual content, all participants received negative feedback designed to induce anger. This feedback included low scores on intelligence, logic, and friendliness, along with critical comments.

Shred Your Anger Away: Study Discovers Reduce Anger Method

Following the anger induction, participants were instructed to write down their feelings about the experience. Half of the participants (the disposal group) were then instructed to shred or throw away their written expressions of anger. The remaining participants (the retention group) kept their written expressions in a clear folder.

Reduced Anger Through Disposal

Both groups reported feeling angry after receiving the negative feedback. However, the key finding of the study lies in the following step.  The anger levels of the disposal group, who shredded or threw away their written expressions, significantly decreased compared to the retention group who kept their writing.

Shred Your Anger Away: Study Discovers Reduce Anger Method

Potential for Anger Management

The study's authors suggest this technique could be a valuable tool for managing anger in everyday life. "Controlling anger in work and personal settings can significantly reduce negative consequences," the researchers noted.

This study adds to the growing body of research on expressive writing techniques for emotional regulation. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effectiveness of this method and its potential applications in various contexts.