A new strategy for remaining calm, cool and collected when someone makes us angry has recently been published online in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.  Researchers from The Ohio State University and the University of Michigan believe that a strategy called “self-distancing” can lessen how angry people may become when someone aggravates them.  The good news is that it can work in the heat of the moment, and can be learned quickly.

Pretend you are seeing the vexing situation from a distance, instead of actively participating in it.  Try to then understand your feelings from that more remote perspective.  Brad J. Johnson, a professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State, and a study co-author: “People don’t self-distance naturally; when they become angry they naturally ruminate on it.  This keeps the aggressive thoughts and angry feelings active in your mind, which makes it more likely that you’ll act aggressively.  The better approach is to step back and view the situation like a fly on the wall.”

This could become a game plan not only for staying calm in tough situations, but also an addition to your tool box for managing headaches…..  WSJonline     7/9/12

 

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