Anger is a common emotion with many negative correlates (e.g., coronary heart disease, hypertension, loss of social support, domestic violence, occupational burnout, substance abuse, etc.) and for which many people seek therapeutic assistance. However, anger has received far less attention in the clinical literature than other aversive emotions such as depression or anxiety, leaving many clinicians inadequately prepared to treat angry persons.

The lab focuses on general anger (i.e., that experienced across contexts) and deals with (1) the assessment and treatment of clinically dysfunctional anger and aggression among adults, and (2) promoting a scientific understanding of anger by mapping the nomological network in which anger-related variables reside (i.e., identifying the correlates of trait anger, adaptive and maladaptive forms of anger expression, evaluation of cognitive theories of anger, etc.). For more information, visit the Anger Research Consortium.

Despite improvements in automobile and roadway safety, motor vehicle accidents remain a serious public health problem. Traffic psychology is concerned with the investigation of driver behavior and the psychological factors associated with driver behavior. For example, an impressive body of research demonstrates the importance of driver personality in contributing to a variety of risky driving behaviors (e.g., speeding, failure to use safety belts, driving while distracted, etc.) and accident-related outcomes.

The lab conducts research on aggressive driving and other forms of risky driving, seeking to identify relevant components of driver personality. We are guided by the hope that improved understanding and prediction of relevant aspects of driver personality may lead to improvements in accident prevention.