A general model of affective aggression was used to generate predictions concerning hot temperatures. Experiment 1 examined hot temperature effects on hostile affect, hostile cognition, perceived arousal, and physiological arousal in the context of a study of video games. Experiment 2 examined hot temperature effects on hostile affect, perceived and physiological arousal, and general positive and negative affect in the context of brief aerobic exercise. Consistent results were obtained. Hot temperatures produced increases in hostile affect, hostile cognition, and physiological arousal. Hot temperatures also produced decreases in perceived arousal and general positive affect. These results suggest that hot temperatures may increase aggressive tendencies via any of three separate routes. Hostile affect, hostile cognitions, and excitation transfer processes may all increase the likelihood of biased appraisals of ambiguous social events, biased in a hostile direction.

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A general framework for studying affective aggression, integrating many insights from previous models (e.g., those of Baron, Berkowitz, Geen, and Zillmann), is presented. New research examining effects of extreme temperatures and photos of guns on arousal, cognition, and affect is reported. Hostile cognition was assessed using an automatic priming task (i.e., Stroop interference). Hostile affect was assessed with the State Hostility Scale. Positive and negative affect, hostile attitudes, perceived comfort, and perceived arousal were also assessed. As expected, hot and cold temperatures increased state hostility and hostile attitudes, and viewing guns did not. As expected, viewing guns primed hostile cognitions and extreme temperatures did not. Theoretical implications of these results and societal implications of the general framework are discussed.

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Early surgery in severely injured patients with thoracolumbar spine trauma was associated with fewer complications and shorter hospital and intensive care unit lengths of stay, required less ventilator support for noninfectious reasons, and did not increase neurologic deficits.