1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: Guess what will what's that mango? So this is a 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: weird thing I remember from high school. But I was 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: up late one night and I was watching a PBS interview, 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: you know, the way all the cool kids did when 5 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 1: we were in high school when they're up late, of course, 6 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: of course, but the guest was actually Rudy Giuliani, who 7 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: at the time was famously cleaning up New York, and 8 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: the interview asked him, how are you so effective? And 9 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: he said, well, I just get annoyed by something, then 10 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: I get really angry. Like the way he talked about 11 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: it was almost like he hulked out on the topic. 12 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: And then he said, I used that anger to work 13 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: like crazy. All right, So you know, I know there 14 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: are a lot of economic theories about why New York 15 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 1: got so much safer in the nineties, but the violence, 16 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 1: they're definitely dropped during his term, Like there's no denying that. Yeah. 17 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: People used to refer to it like a Disneyland then. 18 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: Or around the same time I saw the interview, I 19 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: read this thing about Bill Clinton and apparently he'd get 20 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: insanely angry every morning, like every morning he just unleashed 21 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: on his top staffers and they called it an SMO 22 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: or a standard morning out, and apparently his anger would disappear. 23 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: You know, they said it burned clean. But as a kid, 24 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: the whole thing made me wonder, if I want to 25 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: be a more effective leader, do I need to be 26 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: more angry? Because I'm not generally someone who gets that angry, 27 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: or at least I wasn't until I had kids. But 28 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: that's what today's show is all about, the science of anger. 29 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 1: And we've also thrown in a little signs of tickling 30 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: to lighten things up. Let's dive in aither podcast listeners, 31 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson and as always, 32 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: I'm joined by my good friend Mangu show ticketer on 33 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: the other side of the soundproof glass sporting this blood 34 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: red face pain, I mean blood red, and the angriest 35 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: expression I have ever seen. That's our friend and producer 36 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: Tristan mc So. Do we know why Tristan looks so 37 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: medacine today because we're like a minute into this and 38 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: I'm already super uncomfortable. Oh, I'm with you on this, Mago. 39 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: I don't know. I think it's a new thing he 40 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: wanted to try. Apparently he'd read about this. You know, 41 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: this constant visual reminder of anger is supposed to help 42 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 1: us stay on topic. But I really I don't think 43 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: we're gonna have any trouble staying on track today because 44 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 1: today we're talking about all the fascinating science behind anger. 45 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 1: So we're gonna look at both the psychological and the 46 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: physiological effects is as well as the common triggers that 47 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: prompted in the first place. And along the way, we're 48 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: gonna explore a few potential ways to keep those angry 49 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: feelings in check, you know, the next time somebody cuts 50 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: you off in traffic or just does whatever to make 51 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 1: you angry. All right, mago, So so where do you 52 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: want to start? Well, since Triston literally has us being 53 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: read this morning, let's start with the idea of the 54 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: angry face. So you know this one. It's when someone 55 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: like lowers their eyebrows. They've got tight lips, flared nostrils, 56 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: all the telltale signs of someone's feeling mad. We're familiar 57 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: with it because anger is something we've all witnessed and 58 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: felt firsthand. But the crazy thing is, it's not just 59 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: the feeling that's universal, it's the expression itself. Social scientists 60 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: have actually found that the specific muscle contractions that cause 61 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:14,679 Speaker 1: our angry face are recognized across cultures, and in fact, 62 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: even children who have been blind since birth make the 63 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: face when they're feeling angry, and that's without ever having 64 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: seen the expression themselves. I find stuff like that just 65 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: so fascinating. So so this isn't a learned behavior then, 66 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: So does that mean that an angry face is just 67 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,679 Speaker 1: like part of our biology or something. Yeah, so many 68 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: researchers think the specific representation of anger is an involved 69 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: trait that most humans share. So the question then becomes why, Like, 70 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: what's the advantage of this universal angry face? So do 71 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: they have like do they have an answer for this? Well, 72 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: I mean we do have a few good guesses. For 73 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: for example, most psychologists see anger as a way to 74 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: signal that you feel wronged or that you're unhappy about it. 75 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: But researchers that you see Santa Barbara and like Griffith 76 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: University in Australia have actually gone a step further and 77 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: according to them, anger evolved to serve as kind of 78 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: a bargaining tool during times of conflict, and, as one 79 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: professor of psychology put it, the greater the harm and 80 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:11,559 Speaker 1: individual can inflict the more bargaining power he or she wields, 81 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: And researchers actually called this bargaining through menace. It's a 82 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: specific term. And the idea is that anger is a 83 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: way to let others know that something is unacceptable to 84 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: you and that there's going to be conflict until the 85 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: offending party acts to make the situation better. All right, 86 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: So we've kind of evolved this shared facial expression to 87 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: help deliver that message to each other. And that that 88 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: all makes sense. But why this specific expression, like why 89 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: the lowered brows or the flared nostrils. So I looked 90 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: into this a little as well, and all the features 91 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: that make up the angry face are natural signs of 92 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,919 Speaker 1: aggression in their own right. I mean, it's something we 93 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: see in the animal kingdom as well. Right, Like one 94 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: researcher said, quote, you can think of the anger face 95 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 1: as a constellation of features, each of which makes you 96 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 1: appear physically more formidable. Well that's interesting, though, I do 97 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: have to say, like it's a little unsettling to think 98 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: that anytime my kids they're making an angry face, they're 99 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: they're actually kind of threatening physical violence. Well of my kids, 100 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: it certainly helps their bargaining stance. But one of the 101 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: lead researchers that u CSP John Toby, has actually suggested 102 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: something much more strange. He thinks that angry faces among 103 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,119 Speaker 1: friends and family might be a little different. In this case, 104 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: they're more of a way to emotionally manipulate loved ones 105 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: into cooperating in the long term. So, for example, if 106 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,280 Speaker 1: a friend blows off your plans to hang out and 107 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: instead goes to see a movie, you're likely to feel 108 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: angry because they slighted you and showed less respect than 109 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: you expected. Al Right, So in this case, showing anger 110 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 1: is like a way to guilt trip your friends into 111 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 1: treating you with a little more thoughtfulness or consideration or 112 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:43,479 Speaker 1: something exactly, and to be used as the example of 113 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: each person having a mental cooperation control doll. So the 114 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: anger you express is both an implicit threat to turn 115 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,040 Speaker 1: down your own dial and and not so friendly push 116 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 1: for them to turn theirs up and treat you better. Okay, So, 117 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: so my kids aren't exactly physically threatening me. There's there's 118 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: just emotionally manipulating me. I feel so much better about this, Magno. Right, 119 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: So we we've talked about what happens on the surface 120 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: when we feel angry. So now let's look at what's 121 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 1: actually going on inside our bodies. And it's really comes 122 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: down to the amygdala, which is the part of the 123 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: brain that deals with the emotional responses to, you know, 124 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: to outside stimuli. Now, the amygdala processes whatever anger triggering 125 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: a venture experiencing, and then responds and as little as 126 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: a quarter of a second. And so what it does 127 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: is orders the release of special neurotransmitters that you know, 128 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: kind of ready you to take physical action. So now 129 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: you've got all kinds of chemicals surging through your body. 130 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: You've got adrenaline and noor adrenaline and epinephrin nor epinephrin, 131 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: and and these quickly drive up your blood pressure and 132 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: your heart rate. And so this is why people turn 133 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: red into face when they're upset, right, Like all that 134 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: blood is rushing to their extremities. Yeah, that's right. And 135 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,599 Speaker 1: you know, thankfully that increased blood flow also heads to 136 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: the prefrontal cortex, and and that's the part of the 137 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 1: brain that's most associated with reason and judgment. Now, I deally, 138 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: the responses in the amygdala and the frontal lobe, they 139 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 1: kind of balanced each other out, and then we're able 140 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: to regain our composure instead of just you know, punching 141 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: somebody in the face or breaking a window or whatever 142 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: that extreme response might be. So thank God for the 143 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: frontal lobe is basically what you're saying, pretty much. And 144 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: you know, in fact, one quick example that shows just 145 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: how much we owe to our frontal lobes is is 146 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: that famous story of Phineas Gauge. So he was the 147 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 1: railroad worker in the eighteen forties and he suffered this 148 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: terrible accident where an iron rod shot through his cheek 149 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: and and out the top of his head. Now, amazingly, 150 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 1: Gauge survived the incident, but you know, his prefrontal cortex 151 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: wasn't nearly as lucky, and so from then on he 152 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: developed this reputation for being quote fitful, irreverent, and obstinate, 153 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: and for having quote the animal passions of a strong man. So, 154 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: in other words, without a functioning frontal lobe to inhibit 155 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: his anger, Gauge was no longer capable of self control. 156 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: And this was such a departure from who he had 157 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: been before the accident, and his friends actually considered him 158 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: a completely different person. They even started referring to him 159 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: as no longer gauge. So you and I have discussed 160 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: gauged so many times over the years, and it's weird 161 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: how it's still creepy to me. Okay, so we've covered 162 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: the surface expression of anger and what's going on behind 163 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: the scenes, But what about the external factors that make 164 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: us angry in the first place, Like, is there any 165 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: consensus on what sets people off? Well? There is, actually, 166 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,119 Speaker 1: I mean, it turns out the triggers for our anger 167 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: are pretty much as universal as our expressions of that anger, 168 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: which is a shame because I like to think of 169 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: myself as special and totally individual and unique, but instead 170 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: my anger is just so basic. But uh, well, what 171 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: are these universal triggers? Don't worry, mengo, You're still pretty unique. 172 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: It's just that that's your anger. Triggers are not unique. 173 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: But but you know, any of these incidents that you 174 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: can think of that make people angry, including the ones 175 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: we've mentioned, like being cut off in traffic or you know, 176 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,199 Speaker 1: feeling slighted by a friend or whatever it may be, 177 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: these can all be sorted into these broader types. So 178 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: there's neuroscientists at the University of Maryland. His name is R. 179 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: Douglas Fields, and he's identified the triggers and narrowed them 180 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: into nine categories that cover all these potential situations. And 181 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: I can feel your little skeptical on this, So I'm 182 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 1: just gonna throw a mnemonic device at you, Mango. I know, 183 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: we love nemonics, and that's how you keep track of these. 184 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: And the mnemonic is life morts. Have you ever heard 185 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: of life? Yeah, So here's what it stands for. So 186 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 1: each letter is something different. So the L is life 187 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: and that's basically like defending yourself against attackers that we've 188 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: got insult, which makes sense. You've got family or you know, 189 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: protecting loved ones, environment, protecting your territory. You've got mate order, 190 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:43,199 Speaker 1: which you know is kind of responding to social injustice, 191 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: resources tribe and stopped as the last one, or that's 192 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: like escaping restraint or imprisonment. So so life morts is 193 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: as simple as that, Mango. So I mean, that does 194 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: cover all the bases. But I've got to admit, like 195 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: the acronym lifeboard just makes me ang Like why make 196 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 1: an acronym that's hard to remember? Like it would be 197 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 1: so much better if it's like Tom's rifle right, which 198 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: actually makes sense, or of like fimber Lows, like when 199 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: you get angry after fimber Lows, but I like Tom's rifle. 200 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,439 Speaker 1: Did you come up without yourself? Well, I looked it 201 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: up in an acronym finder. That's that's that's pretty good. 202 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: But back to life more, it's it's easy to imagine 203 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: how anger could be completely justified in in like every 204 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: one of these situations, like the urge to protect your 205 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: family or push back against social injustice. Like, there's not 206 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: just relatable feelings, they're also respectable ones, at least in 207 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: most cases. Yeah, definitely. I mean, we tend to think 208 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: of anger as a primarily negative emotion or a destructive 209 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: influence that needs to be curbed or controlled, but it 210 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: is worth remembering that there can be specific situations where 211 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: it's actually beneficial to react with anger. For example, social 212 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: psychologist site anger is one of the most powerful motivating 213 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: forces we have. So just think about a time where 214 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: you were angry when things weren't going your way or 215 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: you felt like everybody was out to get you. You know, 216 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: sometimes that desire to turn things around or prove the 217 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 1: world wrong actually can really motivate you, which is a 218 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: good point. And it's funny, like anger motivates me when 219 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: I'm playing sports. If someone fouls me or tells me 220 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,079 Speaker 1: I can't do something, I just concentrate so much harder 221 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: and feel like I have a point to prove. But 222 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: it throws me off my game when I'm trying to 223 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: do something creative, Like I almost can't think when I'm angry. 224 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: But I've read that for some people, anger can actually 225 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: give you a temporary boost and creativity, Like you know 226 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: that burst of energy you describe when people experience anger. Well, 227 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 1: one side effect of that is a more flexible, freewheeling 228 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,199 Speaker 1: thought process, and studies have actually shown that people who 229 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: feel angry tend to take a less systematic approach to 230 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: problem solving and are actually able to see a big 231 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: picture of you more easily. It is a little bit surprising, 232 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: and I think it comes down to being able to 233 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: recognize when it's appropriate to feel angry and and when 234 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,360 Speaker 1: maybe it's in your best interest to calm down. And 235 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 1: that's really the whole point behind life marts. I just 236 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: wanted to say life sports again, but I mean, you know, 237 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: the hope is that by learning to identify these triggers. 238 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: We we then kind of gain a better understanding of 239 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:09,599 Speaker 1: of where our anger is coming from, and you know 240 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 1: whether it's something that should be channeled or suppressed. And 241 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: and that's actually not a new idea. I actually came 242 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 1: across this Aristotle quote while we were doing our research, 243 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: and it sums up this idea of using anger in 244 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: a beneficial way. So here's what he says. Anybody can 245 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: become angry. That is easy. But to be angry with 246 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: the right person, and to the right degree, and at 247 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:30,679 Speaker 1: the right time, and for the right purpose and in 248 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: the right way, that is not within everybody's power. That 249 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: is not easy. Well, I mean that sounds like good advice. 250 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 1: And I know there's more to say about how to 251 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 1: turn your anger to your advantage, as well as how 252 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: to shut it down when it's not doing you any favors. 253 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: But before we get into that, I thought would be 254 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: fun to take a little break from anger and lending 255 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: the mood a little. I don't know, Mango, you might 256 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 1: be proving Tristan right. I think we're going off on 257 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: these tangents. He might start painting his face against. But 258 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: I promised we'd go in the opposite direction. Of anger, 259 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: just for a few minutes to talk about the science tickling. 260 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: But first a quick break. You're listening to Part Time 261 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:18,839 Speaker 1: Genius and we're talking about the science of anger, or 262 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: at least we were talking about the science of anger. 263 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:23,199 Speaker 1: Now apparently we're talking about tickling. So so what's the 264 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: story here, Mega, Well, this week I was asking myself 265 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: all these questions ahead of today's show, like how does 266 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 1: the body respond to anger? What causes us to get angry? 267 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,719 Speaker 1: And for whatever reason, it just reminds me of a 268 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: topic we tackled a few years back at Mental Flass, 269 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:38,199 Speaker 1: which was this question of why do we laugh when 270 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 1: we're tickled? And the more I thought about it, the 271 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: more I realized the two reactions are really two sides 272 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 1: of the same coin. All right, well that's interesting, so 273 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 1: refresh my memory, Like why do we laugh when we 274 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: get tickled? I mean, it has something to do with 275 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: our nerve endings in our skin, right, that's right. So 276 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: when the nerve endings in our epidermists are lightly stimulated 277 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: by touch, they send a signal to the brain's nervous system. 278 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: And there are actually two different of the brain that 279 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: processed the signal. The first is the somatosensory cortex, which 280 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: analyzes all the physical qualities of the touch, such as 281 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 1: the amount of pressure it exerts. And the second reason 282 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:14,199 Speaker 1: is the anterior singulated cortex, and this is the region 283 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: in charge of pleasurable feelings. All right, So the tickling 284 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: sensation we feel as a result of the combined analysis 285 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: from those two regions of the brain. And and I 286 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: see the connection between the outside stimulus and the brain's response. 287 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: But besides that, like, what's the connection between anger and 288 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: tickling here? Well, there's a study out of Germany where 289 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: they used mri I scanners to see which parts of 290 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: the brain light up when someone laughs, and while laughing 291 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: at a joke activated many of the same areas of 292 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: the brain is laughing while being tickled. The tickling laughter 293 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: also activated the hypothalamus, and that's the part of the 294 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 1: brain that controls our fight or flight response when we 295 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 1: feel threatened, and well, anger pushes that response in the 296 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: direction of conflict. Tickling actually does the opposite, all right. 297 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: So you're saying, like, we laugh when we're tickled because 298 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: because what like because we're giving up or something. Yeah, 299 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: So that's actually one theory that laughter is meant to 300 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: signal submission to whoever is doing the tickling, and I 301 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: guess it's in the hopes that they'll show mercy and 302 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: break off. I. I I mean, when when I'm tickling my kids, 303 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: that's the last thing I want to do. Stop tickling them. So, 304 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: but why would our bodies treat tickling as a threat 305 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: in the first place, Well, it helps to know that 306 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: there are actually two different kinds of tickles. So one 307 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: is the kind that results in laughter whenever sensitive areas 308 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: like our armpits or bellies are tickled, and the other 309 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: is brought by extremely light touches and tends to produce 310 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: an itching sensation rather than laughter. So the second kind 311 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: is the one that you feel when a cat's tail 312 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 1: brushes your skin or I guess want to bug crawls 313 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: across your arm. And that's led some scientists to conclude 314 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: that this kind of tickling is an early warning system 315 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: to help us defend against potentially dangerous pests like spiders 316 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: or mosquitoes. So it could be something similar with the 317 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: other kind of tickling. When when someone unexpectedly touches you 318 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: in in a vulnerable part of your body, the tickling 319 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: kicks in and we can just react as fast as possible, 320 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 1: which makes a lot of sense. Like you tense up 321 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: so much when this kind of thing happens, and you know, 322 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: instinctively try to shield like whichever part of you is 323 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: being tickled in that moment exactly. And this is also 324 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: why it's pretty much impossible to tickle yourself. So no 325 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: matter how discreet you try to be, your own touch 326 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: is never truly unexpected in the way someone else's can be. 327 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 1: And that's because the cerebellum can predict sensations that arise 328 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: from your own movements, but not from other people's. So basically, 329 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,320 Speaker 1: when the cerebellum knows what's about to happen, that prediction 330 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: overrides the response in your brain that would otherwise lead 331 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: to the tickle. All right, well that's fair enough, but 332 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: but I notice you said pretty much impossible to tickle yourself. 333 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: So there are there exceptions to this. Yeah, I was 334 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: surprised to learn this, but there are a couple of 335 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: cases where self tickling is possible, but neither is very 336 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 1: easy to test for yourself. So the first is if 337 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 1: you're schizophrenic. For whatever reason. The minds of people with 338 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: schizophrenia aren't really great at predicting the sensory outcomes of 339 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 1: their own movements, and the second case is admittedly kind 340 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 1: of cheating. But according to this neuro scientist, David Eagleman, 341 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: he claims, if you build a machine that allows you 342 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 1: to move a feather, but the feather moves only after 343 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: a delay, like of a second, then you can actually 344 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 1: tickle yourself because the results of your own actions now 345 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: surprise you. I don't know, Mago, I can't say for sure, 346 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: but I'm probably not going to go to the effort 347 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,880 Speaker 1: of building a feather tickling machine. But but we'll see. 348 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 1: But I mean, it does make me curious. So, like, 349 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: if you can see that someone else is about to 350 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 1: tickle you, like you're you're watching their hand, Like, why 351 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: does it still tickle when they touch you? So my 352 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 1: guess would be that it's because your brain can't predict 353 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 1: exactly where they're going to touch you or with what 354 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: force or rhythm. But there is a way to suppress 355 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 1: the ticklers feeling you get from someone else, and it's 356 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,679 Speaker 1: only really by taking advantage of the same system that 357 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 1: prevents you from tickling yourself. So all right, what do 358 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 1: you mean by that? So you know you can't tickle 359 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: yourself because your brain knows what you're about to do. 360 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: But if you place your hand on top of the 361 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 1: hand of some person trying to tickle you, then you 362 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: can basically trick your brain into thinking it knows where 363 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 1: the touch is coming from, which cancels out the tickling sensation. 364 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: Isn't that Yeah, this whole thing just makes me feel 365 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 1: so weird, Like like, I don't like somebody tickling me. 366 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: I don't like the idea of somebody tickling me. I 367 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: don't like the idea of putting my hand on top 368 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 1: of somebody else's hand. Is tickling a bit, but I 369 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:13,640 Speaker 1: feel like something doesn't add up, Like if the feeling 370 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: of being tickled is a reflex, like this biological reaction 371 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 1: to this stimulus, then we should be able to tickle 372 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,080 Speaker 1: ourselves like and the hand holding trick you mentioned shouldn't 373 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 1: be able to stifle that reflex. Well, that's another thing 374 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 1: tickling has in common with anger. Well, there's a biological 375 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: component to both. They're also largely dependent on social cues 376 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: and context. So, for example, if you remember that thing 377 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: we were talking about earlier about getting angry at a 378 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: friend who bailed on plans and went to see a 379 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: movie instead. Well, just imagine if you cancel the plans 380 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 1: because his wife went into labor. The and result is 381 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: still the same for you, right, Like you don't get 382 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: to hang out with your friend, but your emotional response 383 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 1: to each of those scenarios would likely be totally different, 384 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: and because of that context, your natural inclination towards anger 385 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 1: is actually subdued. All right, So you're saying the same 386 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: thing happens when with tickling. Yeah, it's it's true. So 387 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,159 Speaker 1: think about Chinese tickle torture, or better yet, Roman tickle torture. 388 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 1: So ancient Romans would do this thing where they tie 389 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: down a criminal, soak their feet in salt solution, and 390 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: then bring in a herd of goats to lick it off, 391 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 1: and they just repeat this process over and over. But 392 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: the people being tickled weren't laughing. They were screaming or 393 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,880 Speaker 1: crying because it was torturous to be in that position. 394 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: Yeah that sounds awful and like the worst form of 395 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:30,640 Speaker 1: torture possible. But I'm curious, like, is there any social 396 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: benefit to tickling or is it all just this psychological torture. Well, 397 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 1: there is an upside thankfully. And on the positive end 398 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: of the spectrum, tickling can be a bonding exercise. It's 399 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: one of the earliest forms of communication between mothers and babies. 400 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: Like you see a mother tickle, which makes the baby laugh, 401 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: which makes the mother tickle more, which makes the baby 402 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 1: laugh more, and on and on, and it's kind of 403 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 1: a primal conversation. And it's not just humans who do this, 404 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: like chimps, gorillas, orangutans and rats also tickled to the 405 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,640 Speaker 1: point of laughter as a way of bonding. And as 406 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: you probably noticed, rats are definitely the odd men out 407 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: in that group. Yeah, and I know we've talked about 408 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: this fact before, like that rats laugh when they're tickled, 409 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: but I actually didn't know that was helping them, you know, 410 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: bond in some way. It does, and and probably my 411 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 1: favorite example of that comes from this researcher named Jock 412 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: panks Up. He discovered that tickled rats purposely seek out 413 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: the hands of the specific human lab workers who had 414 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 1: tickled them previously, like they remembered who made them laugh 415 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: and they come back from war. Is that crazy? It 416 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,000 Speaker 1: is crazy. I have to say I'm not ready to 417 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 1: talk about tickling anymore, but I am glad that we 418 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: went on that tangent so so nice job on that one. 419 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 1: But now that we're feeling happy and refreshed, I feel 420 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: like we need to talk a little bit more about anger. Uh, 421 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 1: this show is such an emotional roller coaster, But let's 422 00:20:44,720 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: take a quick break and then we'll get back to it. Well, 423 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: so what's left to say about anger? All right? Well, 424 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: we were talking earlier about how sometimes we should take 425 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: different approaches to our anger, Like, sometimes it can be 426 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: beneficial to kind of embrace your anger. Other times it's 427 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: in your best interest to, you know, get it in 428 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 1: check as soon as you can. So, just to keep 429 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: those good vibes rolling from our tickling segment, why don't 430 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: we go back and forth with a few of the 431 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:23,120 Speaker 1: most unusual solutions we came across for dealing with anger. Sure, 432 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:24,919 Speaker 1: but how about we start at the beginning with some 433 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: of the very first anger management advice on record. And 434 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 1: it's actually pretty good advice because, according to the Greek 435 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:34,640 Speaker 1: philosopher Plutarch, your best bet for preventing an angry outburst 436 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 1: is simply to run away and hide, well, like into 437 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,120 Speaker 1: a cave or something. What do you mean by this, Yeah, 438 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: Plutark's cave, which is I guess a lesser known Greek. 439 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,440 Speaker 1: I can't say I've heard of Plutark's. I think you 440 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,400 Speaker 1: meant more like, if you can't calm down, you should 441 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: remove yourself from the situation, which is pretty sage advice, right, Like, 442 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: it's not far off of the techniques you always hear 443 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: about today, like taking a walk to come yourself down, 444 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 1: or taking a break from stressors that are known to 445 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,239 Speaker 1: have set you. But the really interesting part to me 446 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: is why Plutarch things stepping away like that's necessary. He 447 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 1: claimed that when people are angry, we're most likely to 448 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: lash out at those were closest to our loved ones. 449 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 1: I still can't believe you made a Plutarch's cave joke, Like, 450 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 1: does it get any nerdier than making kind of a 451 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: reference to Pluto's cave. But anyway, I mean that that 452 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: actually does hold up pretty well. So you know, you 453 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: lead with that whole run and hide thing, And I 454 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: kind of thought this was going to be some outdated 455 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,400 Speaker 1: wisdom from the ancients, but but I guess not. It does. 456 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: It does seem to hold up well. Don't worry, because 457 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: I've got plenty of outdated wisdom as well. So did 458 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 1: you know that the Roman stoic Seneca was one of 459 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 1: the first to spread the idea that redheads have fiery tempers, 460 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: and he wrote, the only reason why red haired and 461 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: reddy people are extremely hot tempered is that they have, 462 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:47,880 Speaker 1: by nature the color which others are wont to assume 463 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:52,639 Speaker 1: in anger for their blood is active and restless. So 464 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 1: they're hot tempered because their blood is restless, and that 465 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: somehow makes their hair red. Is that right? I guess so. 466 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: I mean here's the funny part it though. Like as 467 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,719 Speaker 1: off base as his thoughts on redhead's work, his advice 468 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: for how to minimize the fallout from a redheaded temper 469 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:11,160 Speaker 1: tantrum was actually pretty solid. So he recommended people avoid drinking. 470 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: He also wanted them to exercise more and take time 471 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: to play games or just relax, which you know really 472 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: are effective ways to manage anger. Yeah that's pretty interesting, 473 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: all right. Well, you know, while exercise might reduce angry feelings, 474 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 1: you know, doing the exact opposite can actually help you 475 00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: deal with anger too. There's this research I was reading 476 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 1: about from Texas A and M that was showing people 477 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 1: handle anger better when they're lying down than when they're 478 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 1: standing or or or just sitting upright. So explains to me, 479 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: like they got a bunch of people to lie down 480 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: in the lab and then they just started getting them 481 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: mad on purpose. I mean, this is science. Mangoh, this 482 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: is exactly the kind of thing that you do. I 483 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: mean it was a little bit more nuanced than that, 484 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 1: you know, because the researchers actually concocted this whole scheme, 485 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,120 Speaker 1: and they didn't tell the volunteers that they were participating 486 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 1: in an anger study. Instead, they had the student's right 487 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: brief essays about controversial topics and and told them that 488 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 1: someone in the other room was going to critique their work. 489 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: So at this point, the volunteers were all hooked up 490 00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: to these e G machines and they got to listen 491 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 1: to the feedback, and some of them were sitting up, 492 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: others were lying down, And of course all of this 493 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: was part of the plan, and there wasn't really a 494 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: person in the other room giving specific feedback for each volunteer. Instead, 495 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 1: each person heard one of several different recordings of a 496 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: research team member just belittling their intelligence, their logic, even 497 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:31,120 Speaker 1: the likability of the essays to all these different degrees. 498 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:33,919 Speaker 1: That's awful, it is, but it's also pretty awesome at 499 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,199 Speaker 1: the same time, Like I've had them this but there 500 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,879 Speaker 1: was a confusion. It's such an awful awesomeness. But the 501 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 1: results were pretty interesting to just listen to this description 502 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 1: of the outcome. This comes from a report and New 503 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 1: Scientist quote. Volunteers who heard these insults while on their 504 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 1: backs felt just as angry as volunteers who were seated, 505 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: But e e G. Recordings showed that for the upright volunteers, 506 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: a brain region called the left prefrontal cortex was more 507 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 1: active than its counterpart in the brain's right hemisphere. Other 508 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 1: research has linked this lopsided activation to anger and the 509 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: desire to engage that anger. While volunteers who received their 510 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: digs while lying down, however, exhibited e G patterns no 511 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 1: different from the subjects who got slightly positive reviews. You know, 512 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: so both groups felt just as angry, but it was 513 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,720 Speaker 1: easier for the people lying down to move past that anger, 514 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: while the people who were upright they tended to just 515 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: dwell on it. So did the researchers say anything about 516 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: why that might be? Well, they weren't completely sure, but 517 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,119 Speaker 1: there was one suggestion that you know, related to the 518 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 1: fact that people are more likely to attack when they're 519 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: in an upright stance, while people in a reclining position 520 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: are more prone to just reflect on things. That's interesting, 521 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: And it actually reminds me of this study I read 522 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: about where the psychologists found that taking a quick nap 523 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 1: can help you work through your anger. So the way 524 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 1: it worked was researchers took forty volunteers and they had 525 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: them work on these unsolvable computer puzzles that were made 526 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: to be intentionally frustrating, and then they had some of 527 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,120 Speaker 1: the participants take a one hour nap while the others 528 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 1: stayed awake and watched the Nature documentary instead, And once 529 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,360 Speaker 1: the hour was up, both groups returned to the maddening puzzles, 530 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,120 Speaker 1: and as you might have guessed, the nappers were more 531 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 1: likely to keep trying to solve them, while the non 532 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 1: nappers were more likely to give up completely. The nappers 533 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:20,440 Speaker 1: also reported feeling less impulsive, which suggests they were able 534 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 1: to better manage their frustration after getting a little shut at. 535 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:25,720 Speaker 1: I mean, it really makes a lot of sense, and 536 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: I feel like we can use this as as evidence 537 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: or an endorsement for adding that formal nap room to 538 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:32,959 Speaker 1: the office. And I know that's something we've been pushing 539 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: for for a while. I know, I'm so sick of 540 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: curling up in that supply closet, and I think everyone 541 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 1: else is pretty sick of you curling up in the 542 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: supply closet. It's just such a passive way to relieve 543 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 1: that anger. And I know there's some that need to 544 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: kind of blow off steam a little bit more, and 545 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: so for that, you might be better off going to 546 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: an anger room. Now before you invest in your own, 547 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 1: you can actually visit the official one in Dallas, Texas 548 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: with I've heard people joke about this, but this is 549 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: a real thing, Like it's an actual business. Yeah, it's 550 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: a legit establishment. It's in Texas, like I mentioned, and 551 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: you can go and you can book these therapeutic sessions 552 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,479 Speaker 1: and while you're there you get to smash up all 553 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 1: kinds of old electronics and office furniture. I don't know 554 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: why office furniture, like the electronics thing makes sense, but anyway, 555 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 1: So if you're wondering how it works, the first step 556 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: is to choose how long of a session you want. 557 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: So there's a five minute what's called an I need 558 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: a break session and that's twenty five dollars. Then there's 559 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: a fifteen minute lash out session that costs forty five 560 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:33,680 Speaker 1: dollars and a twenty five minute total demolition booking that 561 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:37,399 Speaker 1: actually will set you back seventy five dollars and a 562 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:40,120 Speaker 1: lot of money. It is. I do have to admit though, like, 563 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: even if I wasn't angry, I think five minutes to 564 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 1: go in for twenty five bucks and just be able 565 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 1: to smash a bunch of stuff that I have to 566 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: admit like that's a little bit tempting to me. And 567 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: so anyway, what you do is you settle on the time. 568 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,439 Speaker 1: You simply pick your ideal soundtrack to Rage two. You 569 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: get to pick music, and then you just go get 570 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: a bit spall that that sounds completely nuts to me, 571 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: And I can definitely think of healthier ways to vent 572 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 1: your frustration, for instance, like have you heard about all 573 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 1: this research that shows tickling rats and do wonders for 574 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: your stress levels? Oh gosh, I feel like we talked 575 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: about rats and tickling enough on the show, and I 576 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 1: think that might be wishful thinking on your part. But 577 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: I do know what you mean about finding better avenues 578 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,160 Speaker 1: for releasing anger, you know, more so than outright violence, 579 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 1: and even if that violence happens to be in a 580 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: controlled space, and you know it's mostly directed at old 581 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 1: TV sets and office furniture, I guess well, it makes 582 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: me think of this Mr. Rogers quote I came across 583 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: while researching, and you know, since we're both Slash Rogers fans, 584 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: I thought i'd go ahead and read it. So quote, 585 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,959 Speaker 1: confronting our feelings and giving them appropriate expression always takes strength, 586 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: not weakness. It takes strength to acknowledge our anger, and 587 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: sometimes more strength yet to curb the aggressive urges anger 588 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 1: maype ring, and to channel them into non violent outlets. 589 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 1: It takes strength to face their sadness and to grieve, 590 00:28:57,760 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: and to let our grief and our anger flow into 591 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 1: years when they need to. It takes strength to talk 592 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,080 Speaker 1: about our feelings and to reach out for help and 593 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: comfort when we need it. That's so well put as 594 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: as always Yeah, well, actually there's a little bit more 595 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: to the quote. And if all else fails, tickle some rats, right, 596 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: thank you might just be making some stuff up here, man, 597 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 1: go And I also think we better move on to 598 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 1: the fact off before we start ticking off anymore, Mr 599 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 1: Rogers fans, Let's do it m all right, here's a 600 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:35,280 Speaker 1: weird fact. Studies have shown that we're actually more optimistic 601 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: when we're angry. And I know that sounds completely contradictory, 602 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: but this is because anger makes us feel like we're 603 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 1: more in control. So there was one study where researchers 604 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 1: were trying to get people in two very different moods. 605 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 1: Some they wanted to be angry, some they wanted to 606 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 1: be fearful. And so then they asked a series of 607 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: questions that were mostly focused on, you know, their achievement 608 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: of certain goals. And so the angry set, we're focused 609 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,200 Speaker 1: and determined to do well, but the fearful set, we're 610 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: too thrown off by the possibility of failure. That's fascinating. 611 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: So I know you and I have had a few 612 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: co workers over the years who just really wore out 613 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: their computer keyboards when they were angry about something. Just 614 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: anger typing. Yeah, I have a few in minds. Well, 615 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: it turns out there's a program developed by researchers at 616 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 1: the Islamic University of Technology in Bangladesh that's surprisingly accurate 617 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,640 Speaker 1: in determining how someone is feeling when they type, So 618 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,120 Speaker 1: those being tested were asked to simply type phrases that 619 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 1: popped up on their monitor, and mostly these were phrases 620 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: from Alice in Wonderland or other books. And in evaluating 621 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: things like the speed and also the rhythm of how 622 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: the participants typed, the program predicted with eighty seven percent 623 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:43,160 Speaker 1: accuracy when someone was feeling joyful and with accuracy when 624 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: someone was angry. Isn't that amazing just from how they type? Yeah, 625 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 1: that is pretty cool. Well, I feel like over the 626 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:52,080 Speaker 1: past decade, the use of the word hangry has just skyrocket, 627 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 1: and it is a good word, but it's interesting to watch. 628 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 1: Is even typically easy going people get angry when they're hungry. 629 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: And we've talked a little bit about this before, but 630 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:04,239 Speaker 1: it's really this survival mechanism that's at play. So if 631 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 1: you think about it, when we're hungry, our bodies are 632 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: programmed to tell us go get food, and what better 633 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 1: way to get food than to be angry and determined 634 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: to eat. Well, there's a Texas A and M dietitian 635 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: Brenda Bustillos, and she explains it a bit more about 636 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: what's happening here. You know, what our brains telling us 637 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 1: that we're low on glucose. So she says, quote, the 638 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: amount of glucose available for the brain declines as more 639 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 1: time passes between meals. Food is important because when glucose 640 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 1: levels become too low, our brain triggers the release of 641 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:35,239 Speaker 1: stress hormones and it's that release that makes it much 642 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: more difficult to manage our tempers. Well, let's talk about 643 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: a different species, and it's interesting to learn that male 644 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:44,440 Speaker 1: songbirds in New Zealand have actually been found to get 645 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 1: more angry when other males come into their territory and 646 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: sing these more complicated and possibly more beautiful songs. So 647 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 1: perhaps is a jealousy thing or just a threat. But 648 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: during a test, when a new bird started singing these 649 00:31:56,800 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 1: longer songs with more syllables, the songbirds would approach were 650 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:04,280 Speaker 1: quickly and fly closer to intimidate the perceived threat. I 651 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 1: feel like we should do an entire episode on the 652 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 1: jealous song birds of New Zealand. That's pretty great, all right, Well, 653 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: you know I don't love the sound of people chewing 654 00:32:14,200 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: or breathing loudly. But and there's actually a name for this, 655 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: It's called miss aphonia, and scientists at Newcastle University in 656 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:23,479 Speaker 1: the UK have done some studies on this. So apparently 657 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: they took twenty people with severe miss aphonia and they 658 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: compare them to a group without it. So first they 659 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 1: had them listened to common noises that really shouldn't elicit 660 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:35,480 Speaker 1: any real reaction, like maybe the sound of rain or 661 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:37,959 Speaker 1: something like that. And then they had them listen to 662 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: unsettling noises like babies crying. And then finally they had 663 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: them listened to these triggers like breathing loudly or the 664 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: sound of chewing. And while both groups reacted the same 665 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 1: to most of the noises, you know, like they were 666 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: unaffected by the pleasant noises, and both groups were kind 667 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 1: of thrown off by the babies crying. The chewing made 668 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 1: the missophonic group's heart rate skyrocket, like along with these 669 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 1: other fight or flight responses from the body. It just 670 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: had this very physical effect on them. And that's really interesting. 671 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:09,840 Speaker 1: So I'm definitely gonna even softer when I'm around you 672 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 1: from now on. Thank you. That was all. That was 673 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 1: all just a hint. I wanted to make sure you knew. 674 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: So I found this pretty great one. In two thous 675 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 1: these artists from Scandinavia created an anger release machine. And 676 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,959 Speaker 1: it was basically a vending machine, or you could call 677 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 1: it a venting machine, and basically was stocked with crystal 678 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 1: plates and porcelain vases, and you insert a few coins 679 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: and pick your item and then it would slowly get 680 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 1: pushed off the edge and shadow hopefully you'd feel better 681 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:39,680 Speaker 1: by the end of it. That is the dumbest thing 682 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 1: I've ever heard of, but it's also pretty great that 683 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: that existed. So it makes me a little angry to 684 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:46,959 Speaker 1: say this, but I'm going to have to let you 685 00:33:47,040 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 1: take home today's fact Off trophy. Thank you so much, 686 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 1: and thank you guys for listening. I'm sure we've forgotten 687 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 1: some pretty awesome facts about the science of anger, so 688 00:33:56,240 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: we'd love to hear about those from you. You can 689 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 1: email us part time Genius and How stuff Works dot com. 690 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:03,960 Speaker 1: You can also call us on our seven fact hotline 691 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 1: that's one eight four four pt Genius, or of course 692 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:09,480 Speaker 1: hit us up on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks so much 693 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:25,960 Speaker 1: for listening, Thanks again for listening. Part Time Genius is 694 00:34:25,960 --> 00:34:28,240 Speaker 1: a production of How Stuff Works and wouldn't be possible 695 00:34:28,239 --> 00:34:30,880 Speaker 1: without several brilliant people who do the important things. We 696 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: couldn't even begin to understand. Tristan McNeil does the editing thing. 697 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 1: Noel Brown made the theme song and does the MIXI 698 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 1: mixy sound thing. Jerry Rowland does the exact producer thing. 699 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 1: Gay Bluesier is our lead researcher, with support from the 700 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 1: Research Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown and Lucas Adams 701 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 1: and Eve. Jeff Cook gets the show to your ears. 702 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:50,040 Speaker 1: Good job, Eves. If you like what you heard, we 703 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: hope you'll subscribe, And if you really really like what 704 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:54,319 Speaker 1: you've heard, maybe you could leave a good review for us. 705 00:34:54,520 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: Do we do? We forget Jason? Jason who diddy be