Gender differences in misattribution of ambiguous arousal: A sociocultural account of gender differences in anxiety

Schachter's theory of emotion posits that emotional experience is determined by attributions that individuals make about the causes of perceived arousal. If internalized sex-role information influences these attributions, then sex differences in such emotions as anxiety and aggression might be explained by differences in emotional attributions. To test this idea, an excitation transfer manipulation was used, in which participants were induced to misattribute residual arousal from exercise to an emotional provocation. The provocation used here was ambiguous, to allow room for fearful and/or angry responses. Women were expected to display fearful, avoidant responses, whereas men were expected to respond with anger and aggression. Contrary to expectation, the combination of residual arousal and emotional provocation did not intensify emotional response, so that there was no effect of excitation transfer. Sex differences were minimal. Methodological considerations involved in the excitation transfer manipulation were discussed, as well as alternative explanations for sex differences in anxiety and aggression.