What specific cognitive process enables the differentiation between frustration and anger?

The specific cognitive process enabling the differentiation between frustration and anger is primarily cognitive appraisal. Cognitive appraisal is the way we evaluate a situation, which then determines our emotional response. In the context of frustration versus anger, cognitive appraisal involves assessing the nature of the obstacle or impediment causing the negative emotion. Frustration arises when an individual perceives an obstacle blocking a goal, and this obstacle is seen as circumstantial, unintentional, or potentially surmountable with continued effort. For example, if a computer program crashes repeatedly while trying to complete a task, the individual might experience frustration because they perceive the problem as a temporary setback that can be overcome. Anger, conversely, arises when the obstacle is perceived as intentionally caused by another person, seen as unjust, or viewed as a violation of one's rights or expectations. For example, if a colleague sabotages your project out of jealousy, you're more likely to feel anger because you attribute the impediment to their deliberate and malicious actions. The core difference lies in the appraisal of intentionality and perceived injustice. Cognitive appraisal allows us to analyze the situation, attribute cause, and then select the appropriate label for the emotion, distinguishing between frustration (a response to a perceived circumstantial obstacle) and anger (a response to a perceived intentional injustice).