An aggression-involving communication was manipulated such that, with the total duration and amount of aggression displayed held constant, one version depicted a typical happy ending and the other version did not. In a pretest, the happy ending significantly reduced excitation and thus induced relaxation. Ss were aggravated by a confederate, exposed to one of the two versions of the communication, and then given an opportunity to retaliate against their earlier tormentor. Aggressive behavior, as measured in the intensity of ostensibly delivered electric shock, was significantly lower after exposure to the communication with the happy ending.
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