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Measuring Attentional Biases for Threat in Children and Adults
Published on: October 19, 2014
The Association Between Trait Anger and Hostile Attribution Bias: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Christopher Fenerdjian1, Jean Gagnon1
1Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Laboratoire d'électrophysiologie en neuroscience sociale (LENS), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Journal of Personality
|July 31, 2026
Summary
This meta-analysis confirms a link between trait anger and hostile attribution bias (HAB). While the association is significant, heterogeneity suggests other factors may influence this relationship.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Trait anger is a personality disposition influencing emotional responses.
- Hostile attribution bias (HAB) is the tendency to perceive ambiguous social cues as hostile.
- Understanding the link between trait anger and HAB is crucial for explaining aggressive behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the association between trait anger and HAB.
- To investigate if emotional states moderate the trait anger-HAB relationship.
- To identify other potential moderators influencing this association.
Main Methods:
- Conducted iterative database searches across PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and ProQuest.
- Employed backward and forward citation tracking to identify relevant studies.
- Two reviewers independently screened records, with data extraction by the primary researcher.
Main Results:
- Included 35 studies with 10,451 participants.
- A significant moderate effect size (r = 0.32) was found for the trait anger-HAB association.
- Substantial heterogeneity (I² = 80.3%) was observed, indicating variability across studies.
Conclusions:
- The study supports a consistent association between trait anger and HAB.
- Heterogeneity highlights the need to explore potential moderators.
- Further research is needed to refine the conceptualization and measurement of HAB.
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