The difference between anger and hate
Plus, what leads to extremist behavior?
Big feelings. We tend to think of hate as an intense form of anger, but a new study suggests these are two distinct emotions. Researchers had people think about a couple of scenarios. First, picture someone you’re angry at but don’t hate. Second, think about the person you hate the most. From there, they had people report how likely they were to respond to each person in different ways, such as confronting them or demanding an apology. They found that anger reliably predicted confrontation and a desire for apology, while hatred predicted avoidance and even fantasies of hurting or humiliating the other person. Basically, if someone’s angry, they still want to talk it out with the other person. Hate triggers an entirely different desire — if someone is hateful, apologies may even backfire because the goal is distance or elimination, not repair. This suggests that the two emotions are distinct. “When people feel anger, they want explanation, dialogue, apology, and behavior change,” said study author Mitchell Landers. “This reflects the fact that angry people implicitly value the target of their anger: They want the relationship to continue, but they want to negotiate a better ‘exchange rate’ in the relationship.”
Extreme. When does shouting into the void turn into extremist behavior? A study looked at online posts that prompted right‑wing extremist action. The authors found that posts that were ideological in nature didn’t lead to mobilization, nor did posts that the study categorized as “hateful.” But posts about violent action, operational planning, and logistics did. In short, it wasn’t the radical ranting that mattered so much as the “how‑to” talk and practical coordination. The study suggests that people move from grievance to action when they acquire the know‑how and capability to act, not merely when they express anger or hatred.
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ON THE HIDDEN BRAIN PODCAST
Coming Clean: Last week, we talked with Leslie John about the costs of keeping secrets. Today, she returns with a look at the power of self-disclosure.
ON THE MY UNSUNG HERO PODCAST
Barbara Alvarez’s Story: Two months before her daughter started college, Barbara’s husband died. On move-in day, an unsung hero helped carry her through it.
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MIND GAMES
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LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE
If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?
The answer: zero
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