The relation between temperament and anger response among prisoners: comparison of Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory and the Psychobiological Model of temperament and character

Abstract This study investigates the relation between temperament and anger response among prisoners, and compares temperament as proposed by Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory and the Psychobiological Model of Temperament and Character. We asked 210 prisoners to respond to Korean standardized questionnaires, with items of the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Approach System (BAS/BIS), and the items of Temperament and character inventory (TCI). Based on the Novaco Anger Scale, prisoners’ anger responses were rated as those of direct, indirect, verbal, or impulsive. Three factors of the BAS and BIS all demonstrated significantly positive correlations, while reward dependence and novelty-seeking from the TCI showed a correlation nearing 0. Also, higher harm avoidance of TCI was associated with lower reward dependence, lower level of persistence, and higher level of novelty-seeking of TCI. Regression analyses showed that impulsive anger reaction was significantly explained by novelty-seeking of TCI and BIS; verbal aggression by fun-seeking of BAS and novelty-seeking of TCI; physical confrontation by novelty-seeking of TCI and fun-seeking of BAS; and indirect expression by novelty-seeking, harm avoidance, and persistence of TCI and fun-seeking of BAS.