NAMA Understanding Anger & Its Causes 3

Question 1

Which physical symptom is LEAST likely to be a direct warning sign of rising anger?

Accepted Answer

Decreased pupil size

Answer

During anger, the sympathetic nervous system causes pupil dilation (not constriction) along with elevated heart rate, muscle tension, and flushing.

Question 2

A driver who becomes intensely angry when cut off in traffic—even when not in a hurry—is most likely experiencing which type of anger trigger?

Accepted Answer

Threat to ego trigger

Answer

Being cut off can feel like a challenge to one's competence or status, making it a threat-to-ego trigger that provokes disproportionate anger.

Question 3

What does 'displaced anger' mean in anger management terminology?

Accepted Answer

Anger directed at a safe target rather than the true source

Answer

Displaced anger occurs when a person vents frustration on a substitute target (e.g., snapping at family) instead of confronting the actual source.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes 'passive-aggressive' anger expression?

Accepted Answer

Indirect resistance and negative attitudes instead of open expression

Answer

Passive-aggressive behavior expresses hostility indirectly through actions like procrastination, sarcasm, or deliberate inefficiency.

Question 5

According to cognitive-behavioral theory, what most directly determines whether a situation triggers anger?

Accepted Answer

The individual's appraisal or interpretation of the event

Answer

CBT holds that it is not the event itself but how a person interprets and appraises it that generates emotional responses like anger.

(NAMA) National Anger Management Association Practice Test