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Comparison of hemodynamic responses to social and nonsocial stress: Evaluation of an anger interview

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2002

KENNETH M. PRKACHIN
Affiliation:
Psychology Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
DAVID E. MILLS
Affiliation:
Health Department, Scientific Laboratories Division, State of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA
CAROLINE ZWAAL
Affiliation:
Department of Health Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
JANICE HUSTED
Affiliation:
Department of Health Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract

Hemodynamic responses to an anger interview and cognitive and physical stressors were compared, and the stability of associated hemodynamic reactions examined. Participants experienced control, handgrip, counting, and mental arithmetic tests and an anger interview on two occasions. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output were measured. Total peripheral resistance was also derived. The anger interview produced larger, more sustained changes in blood pressure in both sessions than the other stressors. These changes were largely a consequence of increased peripheral resistance. Consistent with previous findings, handgrip was associated with a resistance-type reaction whereas arithmetic was associated with a cardiac output-type reaction. There was low-to-modest stability of hemodynamic reactions to the interview. Further research is necessary to optimize its utility in studies of cardiovascular function. Nevertheless, the findings underscore the ability of ecologically relevant stressors to provoke unique configurations of cardiovascular activity.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2001 Society for Psychophysiological Research

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