Popular beliefs about venting anger were dispelled Sunday at the Brunnier Art Museum.

Brad Bushman, professor of psychology, spoke to an audience of 50 central Iowans and ISU students.

The world of pop psychology would lead people to believe it is beneficial to vent anger rather than keep it bottled up, Bushman said.

But, he said, “It is a myth.”

Bushman has appeared on Jim Lehrer NewsHour, the Discovery Channel and National Public Radio offering this point of view.

According to his multimedia presentation, “The Myth of Venting Anger,” years of research have shown that venting anger makes people more aggressive.

“It’s like using gasoline to fight fire,” Bushman said.

People who hit punching bags or break dishes become more aggressive, he said.

Bushman said he has conducted different studies to come to this conclusion. He said the results come from solid scientific evidence and are not his own opinion, he said.

“I just do research,” Bushman said. “I’m not a therapist.”

Bushman used music, television and cartoons for real-life examples of anger ventilation.

Bushman gave advice on how to deal with frustrations in a productive way.

He recommended counting to 10 or trying to reduce tension by relaxing.

People need to find an incompatible response, like watching a comedy or petting a puppy, Bushman said.

These techniques won’t work for people with chronic anger problems, he said.

“It makes you wonder if violent acts might be caused by people who vent their anger,” asked Amy Fox, of Des Moines.

Bushman was asked many questions by the audience.

“I learned a lot from it,” said LaRayne Beetler, of Nevada. “There were things I didn’t realize.”

Bushman is continuing his research and details could not be released.