Could You Become Aggressive?

Personality Test: Aggression & Self-Control

Frustration often fuels conflict—especially with the people closest to us. Channeling anger and aggressive impulses is a skill we refine over a lifetime.

This short quiz draws on general findings from research into aggressive behavior to help you gauge your tendency toward anger and how you manage it.

  1. I become irritable for no obvious reason.

  2. I don’t make enough effort to improve myself.

  3. If someone yells at me, I raise my voice back.

  4. I drink regularly and often get drunk.

  5. I do things impulsively.

  6. When someone upsets me or blocks my way, I don’t forgive or forget easily.

  7. When I’m angry, I throw or break things.

  8. I use physical activity or another outlet to release tension.

  9. If someone exasperates me, I tell them the hard truth.

  10. After an outburst, I regret losing my temper.

  • You scored points

    The Peaceful Type

    Calm person managing anger You tend to express anger calmly—or sometimes suppress it. Building healthy outlets helps you keep balance without bottling things up.

    Context Research on aggression highlights common warning signs of escalating anger. Everyone has a breaking point under enough stress, but practicing perspective-taking and using constructive outlets reduces the risk of destructive reactions.

  • You scored points

    Mostly Under Control

    Person practicing self-control You manage anger reasonably well, though spikes can happen. Strengthening pause-and-reframe habits will keep reactions measured even under pressure.

    Context Notice situations you marked “often”—they’re prime candidates for new coping strategies (deep breathing, time-outs, movement, journaling).

  • You scored points

    Not Exactly Zen…

    Angry person needing healthier outlets Under stress, it doesn’t take much to light the fuse. Practice self-control skills and review the items you marked “often” to target specific habits you can shift.

    Context People who “snap” often blame the final trigger—the “last straw.” Building earlier circuit-breakers (pause, breathe, step away) helps prevent blowups.