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The Anger and Personality Lab

Welcome to the Anger and Personality Lab in the School of Psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi! The lab is directed by Dr. Eric R. Dahlen and includes graduate students from the Counseling Psychology programs and undergraduate Psychology majors. We conduct applied psychological research on overt and relational aggression and victimization among emerging adults, dysfunctional anger, college student mental health, and related areas.

Much of our recent work has focused on the role of personality and individual differences in a variety of aggressive behaviors. For example, we are exploring various dark personality traits (e.g., psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism, sadism) in the context of relational aggression, cyber aggression, and academic misconduct. We also study a range of social-cognitive and affective factors (e.g., dysfunctional anger, empathy, social anxiety, adult attachment, self-esteem, emotion regulation, impulsivity, moral disengagement) relevant to morally transgressive behaviors. We recently started the first in what is expected to be a series of studies examining the role of peer victimization in college student mental health and well-being.

We expect to have 1 open position for a USM psychology major who is interested in gaining research experience to begin in the Fall 2024 term. Find more information about how to apply here.
We are hoping to take a doctoral student for the Fall 2024 admission cohort. To learn more about the process of applying to the Counseling Psychology Doctoral Program, see the program website. Be sure to scroll down to the "Application Deadlines & Instructions" and "Application Review" sections. December 1 is the application deadline.

Current Projects

Examples of current projects include:
  • Criminal thinking in academic misconduct and antisocial behavior among college students
  • Dark personality traits and moral disengagement in relational aggression
  • Peer victimization in college student mental health, social functioning, and academic success
  • Examining the incremental validity of moral foundations theory in predicting antisocial behavior beyond dark personality traits
  • Dark personality traits in college students' rationalization of academic misconduct

Future Plans

Examples of projects in the development phase include:
  • Broad personality factors and authoritarianism as predictors of perceived police legitimacy
  • Trauma history, experiences with peer victimization, and trauma-related symptoms
  • Moral disengagement mechanisms and trait empathy in relational aggression
  • Machiavellian personality traits as predictors of indirect aggression and interpersonal manipulation
  • Identifying the key components of psychopathy most relevant to relational aggression

Interested in Participating in Psychology Research?

Participating in psychological research is a great way to learn about psychology and contribute to the scientific understanding of human behavior.

If you are a student enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi and taking courses in psychology, you can find many interesting studies through the School of Psychology's Research Participation System (i.e., Sona). Using this system will let you earn research credit through any of your courses that count it.

If you are not a student taking psychology courses at the University of Southern Mississippi, check out Psychological Research on the Net or Online Social Psychology Studies.
Anger and Personality Lab
The lab is directed by Dr. Eric R. Dahlen, and the content of this website represents his views (see disclaimer). Graduate students in Counseling Psychology and undergraduate Psychology majors at the University of Southern Mississippi study overt and relational aggression/victimization, dysfunctional anger, college student mental health, and related areas.