Individual Differences in Anger Reaction to Noise

Background: A review of the literature demonstrates an association between noise and anger. It is hypothesised, however, that this association would not be the same for every subject, but depend on a large range of psychobiological differences between individuals, dependent on age, sex, and noise sensitivity of each subject. The aim of this study was to investigate these eventual individual differences in how the subjective sensitivity to noise is associated to different dimensions of anger in adolescents of different age and of both sexes. Methods: For this purpose two selfreport instruments were chosen: the Sensitivity to Noise test (SENSIT) (Santisteban, 1990, 1992) and the State-Trait Anger expression Inventory (STAXI) (Spielberger, 1988). Results: showed: a) a globally significant correlationship between sensitivity to noise and the different anger aspects: feelings (in anger state), temperament (in trait anger), and internal expression (in anger expression); and b) different characteristics according to the psychobiological peculiarities of each subject (subjective sensitivity to noise, age, sex). Conclusions: in accordance to the hypothesis, the present results suggest that noise may act as a stressor causing unwanted aversive changes in an affective state, such as anger; b) that these changes are related to several psychobiological characteristics of the subject, such as age, sex, and individual sensitivity to noise; and c) that noise sensitivity, measured by SENSIT, may be used as a good predictor of anger.