Anger, aggression, and violence in love triangles

Motives for anger and aggression in love triangles are discussed and then examined using homicide data and survey data from college students. We find that love triangles are a more important motive when females commit homicide than when males commit homicide. Females usually kill their lover while males usually kill their rival. Male attacks on male rivals reflect identity concerns, according to the college student data. Anger at both the partner and rival also depends on the assignment of blame. The aggrieved party may attack the partner or rival in order to gain retribution or deter future episodes.