A study by Japanese scientists discovered the liberating effect of writing one's reaction to a negative event on a sheet of paper, which is then torn up, crumpled into a ball, and finally thrown into the trash. The study, the results of which were published in the journal Scientific Reports on Nature, builds on research on the link between the written word and reduced anger, as well as studies showing how interacting with physical objects can control mood. a person.

"We expected that among subjects, our method would be able to suppress their anger to some extent," said Nobuyuki Kawai, head of the watch at Nagoya University. "But we were very surprised by the fact that anger among individuals has almost completely disappeared." Scientists also gave an example - those who want to take revenge on their ex-partner, can burn papers or destroy his/her gifts. They believe the result may be related to the psychological phenomenon of the "magical contagion heuristic," where people are convinced that the actions they take toward an object associated with a particular person can affect the individual themselves.

In this case, 'liberation' from the negative physical entity - the sheet of paper - results in the disappearance of the original emotion. The phenomenon is based on the belief that the "essence" of an individual can be manifested through their physical possessions. As part of the study, fifty students were asked to write their brief opinion on an important social problem, for example - whether smoking should be banned in public places. The experts then deliberately rated their jobs low, and the ratings were related to intelligence, interest, agreeableness, logical reasoning, and rational decision-making. To reinforce their point, reviewers added insulting comments such as: "I can't believe an educated person can think like this. I hope this person manages to learn something while studying at this university."

Anger level has decreased

After receiving the results, the participants wrote down their angry thoughts about the negative feedback on a piece of paper. One group was told to crumple up the paper and throw it in the trash or keep it in a file on their desk. Another group was told to tear up the paper or put it in a plastic box. The anger of the individuals who threw the papers in the trash or tore them up completely disappeared, while the group of students who kept a copy of the paper felt slightly less anger. The discovery by Japanese psychologists may shed light on the origins of the Japanese cultural tradition known as hakidashisara (words referring to a dish). The tradition is practiced at Hiyoshi Shrine in Kiyosu, not far from Nagoya. Hakidashisara is an event that takes place once a year. Visitors then break small discs that represent or embody the things that make them angry, after which they feel relief.