At the intersection of hunger and anger, we have hanger. It’s a phenomenon we lean heavily on to explain away our bad moods, but according to a recent scientific study you can’t blame it all on hunger. Apparently you can also blame other people! Rejoice!
This study from the University of North Carolina into “The Science Of Hanger” is a great example of how important science is to our day-to-day life.
They ask the crucial question: “Is feeling hangry just these hunger-induced feelings or is there more to it?” By “more to it”, they mean is there an exterior element that’s responsible for pissing you off, and the answer is yes!
First of all, the scientific evidence totally backs ‘hanger’ as a valid reason for being irritable as hell. We are fragile creatures, and we need snacks.
So you’re already on edge, and then something happens. Someone is late to dinner, someone eats the last of your avocado, someone bumps into you or simply breathes near you, and that’s when full blown hanger sets in.
The study explains that “negative situations set the scene for hanger”
I’m going to interpret that to mean, it’s not completely my fault if I lash out at someone in a hangry rage, because they’re almost definitely at fault for stirring the damn pot.
The conclusion to be drawn from this, is that you’re horrible attitude is merely the product of your situation and surroundings and everybody just needs to be very nice to each other around meal times.