When upset, we unconsciously choose to read news that helps us regulate our mood.
When upset, we unconsciously choose to read news that helps us regulate our mood. But men and women choose differently. A study conducted at the Ohio State University (USA) showed that angry men search the Internet for negative news that “support” their aggressive mood.
Women in a similar situation prefer the positive: reading the news, they calm down.
“Perhaps it’s a matter of generally accepted rules of decency,” says co-author of the study, university assistant professor Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick (Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick). “It’s not for a woman to strike back in anger, but for men, that’s acceptable.”
In general, the results of the study indicate that any media can help us create a mood that matches our aspirations.