HEAT WAVE BRINGS HEAT RAGE TO

SOME SCORCHED OKLAHOMANS

 As highs continue to surpass 100, tempers are heating up, notes
a criminology professor at Oklahoma City University.
“People who are usually angry get a lot angrier when it’s hot,” said OCU
Criminology Professor Howard Kurtz, Ph.D.
Criminologists have studied the impact of heat on aggression for the past 40
years and have found that individuals prone to anger are especially affected.
Other factors may enhance aggression when temperatures soar. Those
who drink alcohol tend to consume more when it’s hot and that can lead to
increased aggression, Kurtz said.

While some forms of aggression stem from social interaction, heat is a non-social

trigger that may make someone more prone to anger, Kurtz explained.
On the flip side, Kurtz also advises against staying indoors too much, which can
also swing your mood.
“You still need sunlight every day,” he said.