Effects of delay, attack, and retaliation on state depression and hostility

43 male and 43 female undergraduates were placed in an arbitrary waiting situation, and then the E either verbally attacked or apologized to them. Half of the Ss in each group were given a chance to retaliate by negatively evaluating the E on a written form. State and trait hostility and depression measures (e.g., Costello and Comrey's Depression scale, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, and the Depression Adjective Check List) were given before the anger manipulation and again after the manipulation and retaliation. Both males and females became angry and depressed following the attack, and females tended to become more depressed than males (though not more angry). Although males reported more outward hostility than did females after attack, females retaliated more. Retaliation did not, however, reduce either anger or depression, as had been expected. Implications for clinical depression are discussed. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)