36 male freshmen were angered and randomly assigned to a catharsis or noncatharsis condition. Physiological measures were recorded for a 20-min recovery period. Catharsis Ss: (1) disliked their annoyer significantly more than control Ss; (2) showed a slower rate of physiological recovery in skin temperature, PGR, skin conductance, and muscle tension (blood pressure showed a reverse finding); and (3) showed more of a physiological recovery pattern than control Ss. It is suggested that support and encouragement from an authority, and the need to reduce the cognitive dissonance created by getting a person in trouble, increased anger and raised autonomic levels, but that a value of catharsis may be the replacement of an autonomic arousal pattern with an autonomic recovery pattern. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)