CSAM CSAM Neurobiological Basis of Anger 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The concept of 'neural hijacking' or 'amygdala hijack' was popularized by which psychologist?
- Aaron Beck
- Daniel Goleman (Correct answer)
- Albert Ellis
- Martin Seligman
Correct answer: Daniel Goleman
Daniel Goleman coined 'amygdala hijack' in his 1995 book Emotional Intelligence to describe situations where the amygdala overrides rational prefrontal thinking.
Question 2: Which physical symptom is a reliable indicator of sympathetic nervous system activation during anger arousal?
- Decreased heart rate
- Pupil constriction
- Increased blood pressure (Correct answer)
- Slowed breathing
Correct answer: Increased blood pressure
Blood pressure rises during anger as the sympathetic nervous system constricts blood vessels and increases cardiac output to prepare the body for action.
Question 3: In anger management therapy, psychoeducation about the neurobiology of anger primarily aims to:
- Eliminate the client's capacity for anger
- Help clients identify triggers before physiological escalation becomes uncontrollable (Correct answer)
- Teach clients to suppress all emotional responses
- Diagnose underlying neurological disorders
Correct answer: Help clients identify triggers before physiological escalation becomes uncontrollable
Understanding the physiological anger cycle helps clients recognize early warning signs and intervene with coping strategies before escalation peaks.
Question 4: Research on the neurobiology of anger indicates that the escalation from trigger to peak physiological arousal typically takes approximately:
- Less than 2 seconds
- About 10 seconds (Correct answer)
- 2–3 minutes
- 15–30 minutes
Correct answer: About 10 seconds
The amygdala can generate an anger response in under 10 seconds, which is why early intervention and pause strategies are essential in anger management.
Question 5: Which technique most directly counteracts sympathetic nervous system activation during anger arousal?
- Journaling thoughts
- Diaphragmatic slow breathing (Correct answer)
- Thought challenging
- Social support seeking
Correct answer: Diaphragmatic slow breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, directly counteracting the fight-or-flight response and lowering physiological arousal.
Question 6: Neuroimaging studies on habitually aggressive individuals have found reduced activity or volume in which brain region?
- Amygdala
- Basal ganglia
- Prefrontal cortex (Correct answer)
- Occipital lobe
Correct answer: Prefrontal cortex
Studies consistently show reduced prefrontal cortex activity and gray matter in chronically aggressive individuals, impairing their ability to regulate emotional impulses.
CSAM CSAM Neurobiological Basis of Anger 2
The concept of 'neural hijacking' or 'amygdala hijack' was popularized by which psychologist?