Are Impulsive Action Related To Anger?

Introduction

I have seen in many movies and shows characters who make an impulsive action when they are mad. This is pretty common in real life too. When you are angry, you often do not think through any actions you may make. Think about a time where you have gotten really angry and yelled at someone. You were most likely not thinking if yelling was appropriate in that moment but did it anyways. So yes, impulsive actions are correlated with anger, and I will explain why.

What Happens In Our Brain

To start off, the amygdala plays a big role in our emotions. According to "What Happens in Your Brain When You're Angry, According to Psychology" by Kendra Cherry, when we get angry, the amygdala will set off our panic button, which will then signal the hypothalamus. But what really leads to the impulsive actions? Well, after the hypothalamus and amygdala are activated, your prefrontal cortex starts to get involved. As stated in the article, "The prefrontal cortex is there to evaluate the situation and dial down the emotions if necessary.” The prefrontal cortex is a significant factor in preventing us from doing something we may regret later. However, as Kendra Cherry says, "When you get angry, the amygdala and prefrontal cortex are in conflict.” The author adds on to explain that the amygdala gets a head start before your prefrontal cortex, and that is why you are able to have an inappropriate response. The prefrontal cortex does not have enough time to calm you down before acting.

Conclusion

To shortly wrap things up, the amygdala, hypothalamus, and prefrontal cortex all interact when we are angry. An impulsive response during this time of anger is caused by the amygdala being ahead of our prefrontal cortex, and so we do not have time to make a rational decision. Maybe the next time you are angry, help your prefrontal cortex and calm yourself down before doing anything you may regret later.

Works Cited

Cherry, Kendra. What Happens in Your Brain When You’re Angry, According to Psychology, www.verywellmind.com/what-happens-in-your-brain-when-youre-angry-8753372. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.