La colère est une émotion universelle dont l’expérience quotidienne varie en fréquence, en intensité et en durée chez les individus. De multiples termes peuvent caractériser et nuancer son vécu. Elle englobe ainsi un certain nombre de manifestations cognitives et comportementales (directement observables ou non), et des modifications internes telles que l’activation physiologique. Expérience subjective, son expression est multidimensionnelle et entraîne des tendances d’action qui peuvent aller jusqu’à des comportements agressifs. Plusieurs termes connexes sont utilisés pour caractériser ses différentes facettes. L’ensemble de ces construits se chevauchent, entraînant parfois une certaine confusion. À juste titre, ils sont souvent corrélés et s’entretiennent les uns les autres. Les affects agressifs qui regroupent le sentiment de colère, l’irritabilité et l’hostilité sont ainsi des construits fortement liés. Toutefois, ils renvoient soit à un état d’humeur soit à une attitude et se distinguent de la colère en tant qu’émotion, tout comme l’impulsivité qui est davantage considérée comme un trait de personnalité. L’agressivité est par ailleurs à distinguer des actes violents qui sont caractérisés par le risque de provoquer des dommages significatifs chez autrui. Les croyances, les évaluations des situations, ou encore les ruminations, qui provoquent la colère et qui en découlent, vont également jouer un rôle important dans sa régulation. Enfin, de nombreux aspects sociaux et culturels, comme le genre ou la société, vont influencer son expression. À notre connaissance, à ce jour aucune revue en langue française n’a présenté le concept de colère alors même que cette émotion peut avoir des conséquences néfastes sur la santé et la qualité de vie des individus. Certains auteurs parlent de la colère comme l’émotion « méconnue » qui mériterait davantage d’attention. Cette revue de portée a donc pour objectif de définir l’émotion de colère et d’explorer les concepts qui s’y rattachent. Les limites de cette revue seront détaillées.

Anger is a universal emotion whose daily experience varies in frequency, intensity and duration among individuals. Multiple emotional terms such as “frustrated” or “furious” can characterize it and nuance its experience. It thus encompasses a number of cognitive and behavioral manifestations (directly observable or not), and internal modifications such as physiological activation. It is also associated with facial expressions. As a subjective experience, its expression is therefore multidimensional. It leads, for example, to action tendencies such as shouting or withdrawing from a situation. The latter can extend to aggressive behavior. Several related terms are used to characterize its different facets, such as hostility, irritability and aggressiveness. These aggressive affects are closely related and sometimes overlap, leading to confusion. Rightly so, they are often correlated and mutually supportive. However, they refer either to a state of mood or an attitude, and are distinct from anger as an emotion. Aggression is also to be distinguished from violent acts, which are characterized by the risk of causing significant harm to others. Impulsivity is also mentioned, but is seen more as a personality trait that seems to correlate with the experience of anger. What's more, it's considered by many to be an aversive emotion. Compared to other emotions such as sadness or fear, however, it is more likely to lead to an active approach. It is also triggered in a variety of situations, notably when the individual feels blocked or frustrated in achieving a goal. The question of injustice and the responsibility of others will also be central. In fact, beliefs and evaluations of situations will play a vital role, whether or not they are conscious. The ruminations that provoke and result from it can also play an important role in regulating it. Finally, many social and cultural aspects influence its expression. Anger is a universal human emotion, regardless of culture. However, certain display rules will influence the emotional response of anger to maintain a certain social framework. In other words, anger plays a part in regulating social behavior within groups. What's more, the literature is homogeneous on the effect of gender, but it is acknowledged that there are differences between men and women in the way anger is displayed. The social context and social desirability play a definite role in distinguishing certain reactions according to the gender of the individuals expressing anger. To our knowledge, to date, no French-language journal has presented the concept of anger, despite the fact that it is an emotion that can have harmful consequences on the quality of life of individuals and in the sphere of relationships. Some authors refer to anger as the “unrecognized” emotion that deserves more attention. The aim of this review is therefore to define the emotion of anger and explore related concepts. However, there are certain limitations to this review. Indeed, the literature highlights a strong link between anger and certain psychological disorders. Other elements, such as the consequences of dysfunctional anger or the assessment tools available, should be studied in greater depth.