CART Psychological & Emotional Impact of Anger 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client who consistently attributes others' neutral actions as hostile is exhibiting:
- Fundamental attribution error
- Hostile attribution bias (Correct answer)
- Confirmatory anger schema
- Paranoid ideation
Correct answer: Hostile attribution bias
Hostile attribution bias is the tendency to interpret ambiguous social cues as intentionally threatening, a key cognitive driver of anger reactivity.
Question 2: Which emotional outcome is most commonly associated with anger that is chronically suppressed rather than expressed or resolved?
- Euphoria
- Depression (Correct answer)
- Hypomania
- Dissociation
Correct answer: Depression
Chronic suppression of anger is strongly linked to depression, as internalized anger depletes emotional resources and undermines self-worth.
Question 3: The experience of 'moral anger' or 'righteous indignation' is most closely associated with violations of:
- Personal safety
- Social justice norms (Correct answer)
- Attachment bonds
- Biological needs
Correct answer: Social justice norms
Moral anger arises specifically in response to perceived injustice or violations of social norms, and is often experienced as righteous or justified.
Question 4: According to the circumplex model of affect, anger is best characterized as:
- Low arousal, negative valence
- High arousal, negative valence (Correct answer)
- High arousal, positive valence
- Low arousal, positive valence
Correct answer: High arousal, negative valence
In the circumplex model, anger occupies the high arousal / negative valence quadrant, distinguishing it from sadness (low arousal / negative valence).
Question 5: A CART practitioner observing a client's anger episode notes rapid speech, muscle tension, and tunnel vision. These signs collectively indicate:
- Emotional numbing
- Physiological activation beyond the window of tolerance (Correct answer)
- Mild irritability response
- Parasympathetic dominance
Correct answer: Physiological activation beyond the window of tolerance
Rapid speech, muscle tension, and tunnel vision signal high sympathetic arousal that has exceeded the window of tolerance, impairing rational processing.
Question 6: Which therapeutic modality specifically uses functional analysis to identify antecedents, behaviors, and consequences of anger episodes?
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (Correct answer)
- Gestalt therapy
- Narrative therapy
Correct answer: Cognitive behavioral therapy
CBT's functional (ABC) analysis examines Antecedents, Behaviors, and Consequences to map the triggers and reinforcers of anger responses.
Question 7: Post-anger guilt and self-criticism that impede a client's recovery are best addressed using principles from which approach?
- Exposure and response prevention
- Self-compassion therapy (Correct answer)
- Systematic desensitization
- Rational emotive imagery
Correct answer: Self-compassion therapy
Self-compassion therapy, developed by Kristin Neff, directly targets harsh self-judgment and shame following anger episodes, breaking the shame-anger cycle.
CART Psychological & Emotional Impact of Anger 3
A client who consistently attributes others' neutral actions as hostile is exhibiting: