Red Mist

In driving the term Red Mist is described when someone can no longer safely access driving risk. This can trigger road rage and can be very dangerous. Red Mist behind the wheel can develop when someone is experiencing anger.

Anger is part of the fight/flight brain response to the perceived threat of pain. When a person makes the cognitive choice to take action to immediately stop the threatening/painful behavior of another (person or organization, or any outside force) anger (as opposed to fear) becomes the predominant feeling, with behavioral, cognitive and physiological correlates. In the animal kingdom, when physically threatened, animals will make loud sounds, attempt to look physically larger, bare their teeth, and stare. Humans behave in a similar manner when a perception of potential pain occurs, and the decision to oppose (rather than flee) occurs. Anger is a behavioral pattern designed to communicate "Stop your behavior immediately, it is harmful or threatening- If you don't, violence towards you may follow." Rarely (if ever) does a physical altercation occur without the prior expression of anger by at least one of the participants.

In the world of humans, because of our unique use of codified symbols and sounds -written and spoken language, pain or the threat of pain can be perceived from written and verbal sources (eg. written threats, verbal insults). We may not perceive an immediate physical threat, but pain (or the threat of pain) thus can be felt psychologically and thus the threat of psychological harm is real. Therefore anger can arise without (1) A direct physical threat (2) An actual other person present. Because of our capacity to imagine the distant future, the threat of pain can also arise purely from our imagination, and not be based on anything happening in the immediate present.

In humans anger often arises when another human being is perceived to violate expected behavioral norms related to social survival (for example, not receiving 'respect' - without which a person may feel physically vulnerable). These violations break social or interpersonal "safety rules," or are ethical/legal violations.

Humans often experience anger empathetically. For example, after reading about others being treated unjustly, one may experience anger, even though she/he is not the victim.