All anger is not created equal: A multi-method approach to understanding the link of anger responses with approach and avoidance motivation

• A multi-methodological approach was used.
• Self-reported state anger was predicted by an interaction of BIS and BAS-RR.
• A weak association was found between physiological anger correlates and BAS.
• At behavioral level verbal anger response was solely related to BIS.

The aim of the study was the investigation of the relationship between the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS), the Behavioral Approach System (BAS), and state anger with a multi-methodological (self-report, physiological, and behavioral) approach. Additionally, as previous work on the relation of anger with self-report measures of BIS and BAS facets has been limited to hypothetical anger responses, we examined anger responses after real-life provocation. Female non-psychology students (N = 100) participated in this experimental study. While self-reported anger responses were predicted by an interaction of BIS and BAS-Reward Responsiveness, behavioral (verbal) responses were only related to the BIS. With regard to cardiovascular anger responses, there was a positive main effect of BAS-Reward Responsiveness on heart rate response and systolic blood pressure at the beginning of the anger provocation period. Results showed that depending on the assessment of anger BIS/BAS predicted anger responses differently. Our findings suggest that immediate anger responses have a stronger association to BAS, while anger responses including evaluative processes, e.g. verbal anger expression at behavioral level, seem to be primarily determined by BIS. Whether state anger is associated rather with approach or with avoidance motivation seems to depend primarily on the operationalization of state anger.