5 Reasons Why Anger Causes Misunderstanding

Illustration of the reasons why anger causes misunderstanding (Freepik/rawpixel.com)

YOGYAKARTA Anger is basically healthy, but the way to express it makes this emotion trigger misunderstandings. Anger's book: The Misunderstood Emotion becomes a reference that anger turns out to be related to the cultural context and the emotional perception of society. Not only is it different for everyone about how to express this emotion, but Jeffrey Bernstein, Ph.D., psychologists and writers explain the reasons why anger often causes misunderstandings.

Like children, when they get angry they can slam, roll over, and scream as fast as they can. People tend to assume that they understand the reasons behind other people being angry. But without open conversations and empathy, anger drivers can't really understand it or even make the relationship even more tense.

Anger is a normal and healthy emotion. The way of disclosure and management determine whether anger can trigger problems or not. For example, peaceful protests, this is a constructive example to express anger.

The majority of people tend to hide anger due to stigma and negative perceptions. They choose not to express anger openly for fear of being judged or labeled aggressive. But it is important to remember that the anger expressed appropriately can actually build. It even produces breakthroughs related to civil rights, safety protocols, and supervision of certain cases.

Different cultures have different norms and beliefs, especially about emotions that must be expressed or stored. For example, in Javanese culture, which is known as the saying'milk dhuwur dem jero', where there are things that must be stored and good things that are not disclosed.

Launching Psychology Today, Monday, September 25, what may be considered an expression of anger that deserves to be considered an expression of anger may be considered unacceptable to other cultures. This causes misunderstandings and misinterpretations unless discussed openly with empathy.

Public expectations about how men and women should express emotions, can cause misunderstandings. Men tend to be expected to show open anger while women are still expected to press or reveal more calmly.

In addition to the five reasons why anger tends to trigger misunderstandings above, diverse styles of expression and trigger complexity are often ignored. Such as stress, frustration, injustice, hurt, or fear, can be a trigger for anger that needs to be understood. By understanding the trigger, a person may be more able to control his emotions and find the right way to express them.

According to Bernstein further, many people are not taught how to identify, manage, and communicate emotions effectively. Lack of emotional education can cause individuals to have difficulty understanding their anger and the root cause, making it difficult for others to understand it too.