On the relationship of trait PANAS positive activation and trait anger : evidence of a suppressor relationship

This article presents evidence that trait anger is directly associated with trait positive activation (PA) as measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; Watson, Clark, and Tellegen, 1988), when controlling for happiness. This supports previous state findings suggesting that PA taps both positivity and approach motivation, which can be negative in valence. These results also suggest the importance of considering motivational direction separately from affective valence, and the importance of including both motivational direction and valence in models of affective experience.