Hostility, anger-in, and cardiovascular reactivity in White women.

Relations between cardiovascular reactivity and cynical hostility, aggressiveness, antagonism, and anger-in were examined in White college women tor conditions of high and low interpersonal stress. High stress was created by having the participants discuss an issue on which they held a strong view with a confederate who adamantly espoused an opposing view. Participants in the low-stress condition discussed an issue on which they held no strong views with a confederate who amicably expressed agreement. Participants higher in cynical hostility exhibited more systolic blood pressure reactivity than individuals lower in cynical hostility in the high interpersonal stress condition only. Also, antagonism was positively related to heart rate reactivity across conditions. However, neither aggressiveness nor anger-in was related to reactivity in either condition. Overall, cynical hostility and a disposition toward disagreeable, manipulative behaviors (i.e., antagonism) but not overt aggressive behavior were found to be related to cardiovascular reactivity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cynicism, social support, and cardiovascular reactivity.

This study examined whether highly cynical individuals benefit less from social support during an acute stressor than individuals low in cynicism. College students (52 men, 52 women) performed a stressful speech task alone or in the presence of a supportive confederate. There was an interactive effect of social support and cynicism on cardiovascular reactivity: Low cynicism participants who received support had smaller increases in blood pressure during the speech than low cynicism participants without support and high cynicism participants with or without support. Participants' psychological stress appeared to mediate the main effects of support on blood pressure reactivity, but not the Support?×?Cynicism interaction. Results suggest that cynical attitudes may undermine the stress buffering potential of interpersonal support. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cynical hostility and vulnerability to disease: Social support, life stress, and physiological response to conflict.

34 extremely high and 34 low scorers on the hostility (Ho) scale proposed by W. Cook and D. Medley (1954) were selected from a pool of male undergraduates. Consistent with previous findings, high-Ho Ss reported greater anger proneness and a more cynical view of others than did low-Ho Ss. The high-Ho group also tended to be more hostile and less friendly during role-played interactions involving high and low levels of interpersonal conflict. High-Ho Ss displayed greater diastolic blood pressure reactivity during interpersonal conflict and reported less social support and more negative life events and daily irritants then did low-Ho Ss. Results support the interpretations of the Ho scale as a measure of cynical hostility and are consistent with the hypothesis that hostility is related to disease by way of excessive physiological reactivity and a generally stressful, unsupportive social network. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial predictors of natural killer cell mobilization during marital conflict.

This study examined how specific emotions relate to autonomic nervous and immune system parameters and whether cynical hostility moderates this relationship. Forty-one married couples participated in a 15-min discussion about a marital problem. Observers recorded spouses' emotional expressions during the discussion, and cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and immunologic parameters were assessed throughout the laboratory session. Among men high in cynical hostility, anger displayed during the conflict was associated with greater elevations in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, cortisol, and increases in natural killer cell numbers and cytotoxicity. Among men low in cynical hostility, anger was associated with smaller increases in heart rate and natural killer cell cytotoxicity. These findings suggest that models describing the impact of stress on physiology should be refined to reflect the joint contribution of situational and dispositional variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Task difficulty, cardiovascular response, and the magnitude of goal valence.

Studied the impact of expected task difficulty on anticipatory cardiovascular (CV) responsiveness and the anticipatory reactivity under difficult task conditions in 64 female undergraduates. Ss performed an easy, moderately difficult, or extremely difficult memory task to earn a small incentive for good performance. CV and subjective measures were taken immediately prior to task performance. Both systolic blood pressure (SBP) responses and ratings of goal attractiveness were nonmonotonically related to expected task difficulty, with the most pronounced SBP elevations and highest goal attractiveness in the moderately difficult task condition. CV response measures revealed a strong positive association between systolic and diastolic pressure (but not heart rate) change in the easy condition, positive relationships among measures in the moderately difficult condition, and no significant correlations in the extremely difficult condition. Subjective measures of arousal were not affected by task difficulty. Principal findings are discussed in terms of J. W. Brehm's theory that motivation varies as a nonmonotonic function of the difficulty of goal attainment. Intercorrelations among CV response variables are considered in terms of their possible indication of the mechanisms underlying blood pressure changes associated with variations in motivation. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Developmental toxicity of steviol, a metabolite of stevioside, in the hamster

Family history of hypertension (positive and negative) and gender groups were compared on cardiovascular responses at rest, during stressors and during recovery. Two tasks were employed, mental arithmetic and an anger recall interview. Both levels and reactivity measures of blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output and total peripheral resistance were included. In addition, participants filled out several questionnaires measuring state feelings during the task and recovery periods, trait anger/hostility and emotions. Both men and women with a positive family history of hypertension exhibited higher tonic levels of blood pressure and heart rate at rest, recovery and during both tasks. They also exhibited greater heart rate reactivity during the mental arithmetic task and greater blood pressure reactivity to both tasks when post-math recovery, but not initial rest, was used as a covariate. Positive family history individuals reported less trust and gregariousness, more depression and aggression, less awareness of somatic responses to the tasks and less effort to relax during the post-task rest periods. Finally, significant correlations were found between low anger expression how anger experience and high anger control and task SBP levels in positive family history individuals.     

Hostility and Distraction Have Differential Influences on Cardiovascular Recovery From Anger Recall in Women.

This study investigated the relation of dispositional hostility to cardiovascular reactivity during an anger-recall task and of hostility and distraction to posttask recovery in 80 healthy women (ages 18-30). Half were randomly assigned to distraction during recovery. Hostility predicted slower systolic blood pressure and preejection period during recovery. Distraction was related to faster cardiac recovery, higher high-frequency (HF) power, lower low-frequency (LF) power and LF:HF ratios, and lower state anger and rumination during recovery. These results indicate deleterious influences of hostility on cardiovascular recovery but not during anger recall. The findings also show beneficial effects of distraction in expediting cardiovascular recovery, possibly through reducing rumination and anger. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sex differences in social support, self-deception, hostility, and ambulatory cardiovascular activity.

The quality of the social network, ambulatory cardiovascular indices, and other health risks were assessed in 129 students. Ss carried an ambulatory monitor for a working day and completed a social support scale, an index of daily stress, and measures of anger expression, hostility, depression, and self-deception. Alcohol intake and skinfold thickness were assessed. Results indicated that quality of social support was related in an inverse manner to ambulatory systolic pressure in women only. Stepwise multiple regression confirmed that social support was an independent predictor of daily systolic pressure for women and was not confounded with subjective stress. For men, tendencies to self-deception and high hostility were independently related to elevated blood pressure and heart rate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physiological and neuropsychological correlates of hostility

This experiment tested two hypotheses linking right cerebral arousal to hostility and physiological arousal. A replication of previous research supporting heightened physiological (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) reactivity among high-hostility subjects was partially successful. Hemispheric lateralization of cerebral activity in response to stress was also measured. Low- and high-hostility subjects were identified using the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (CMHS). Physiological measures (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) were recorded and dichotic listening procedures were administered before and after administration of the cold-pressor paradigm. The primary finding of this research was greater right cerebral activation to stress among high-hostility subjects, as indicated by their enhanced ability to identify syllables presented to the left ear. Data further supported previous findings of heightened physiological reactivity to stress among high-hostility subjects and suggest a positive relationship between right cerebral activity and cardiovascular arousal.     

Effects of different stress settings on cardiovascular parameters and their relationship to daily life blood pressure in normotensives, borderline hypertensives and hypertensives

The aim of this study was to compare a traditional stress setting, consisting of two mental arithmetic tasks and two Stroop test modifications, and a stress setting of varying task demand and decision latitude according to Karasek's job strain model, with respect to their feasibility to elicit differences in cardiovascular reactivity and recovery in 20 normotensives, 20 borderline hypertensives, and 20 non-medicated hypertensives, carefully selected by means of World Health Organization criteria. In addition, the relationship between laboratory and everyday blood pressure was investigated. All subjects were tested under both stress settings in counterbalanced order. Blood pressure was recorded both intermittently from the brachial artery (Riva-Rocci) and continuously from the finger (Finapres). Heart rate and electrodermal activity were continuously measured as well. Furthermore, daily life blood pressure recorded by means of 24 h ambulatory monitoring during a normal working day served as criterion for the re-classification of the blood pressure groups by means of discriminant analysis using physiological recordings from baseline, test phases and rest phases. The groups did not show significant differences in their reactivity to the various mental stressors including the Karasek-model oriented ones but marked differences in their behaviour occurred during the 10 min of recovery following each stress setting. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensives failed to recover during this period. The results also showed the superiority of the Finapres method with respect to reflecting the dynamics of physiological recovery processes. None of the stress settings showed an advantage in predicting blood pressure in daily life. In general, the results question the validity of mental laboratory stressors for the prediction of cardiovascular changes in daily life but point to a possible role of recovery processes after stress in the development of essential hypertension.     

Blood lead (Pb) levels: A potential environmental mechanism explaining the relation between socioeconomic status and cardiovascular reactivity in children.

Objective: A number of studies have shown an association between socioeconomic status (SES) and cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress. In addition, the authors recently reported that higher early childhood blood lead (Pb) levels are associated with significantly greater total peripheral (vascular) resistance (TPR) responses to acute stress. It is not known whether the SES-TPR association is mediated by underlying differences in blood lead levels. Design: Participants were 9.5-year-old children (N = 122) with established early childhood blood lead levels. Main Outcome Measures: Family SES was measured using the Hollingshead Index, blood lead levels were abstracted from pediatrician and state records, and children's cardiovascular responses to acute stressors were measured in the laboratory with impedance cardiography and an automated blood pressure monitor. Results: Lower family SES was shown to be associated with significantly higher blood lead levels as well as significantly heightened systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and TPR responses to acute stress tasks. A mediational analysis confirmed that Pb was a significant mediator of the SES-TPR reactivity association; some evidence also suggested moderation. Conclusion: These results suggest the importance of considering the chemical environment as well as social and psychological environment when evaluating cardiovascular effects of low SES. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Trait hostility and ambulatory blood pressure among traffic enforcement agents: The effects of stressful social interactions.

This study investigated the hypothesis that trait hostility is associated with heightened cardiovascular reactivity to potentially stressful social interactions but not to nonsocial activities in the workplace. Participants were 73 (39 women) New York City traffic enforcement agents (TEAs) who patrol the streets and issue summonses for vehicular and parking violations. During their patrols, TEAs face potentially stressful interactions when they encounter motorists and pedestrians who may be angry about receiving summonses. Mood and ambulatory blood pressure were initially measured when TEAs were recently hired and attending classes at the training academy (Time 1), and were subsequently assessed again once the TEAs began independently patrolling the city streets (Time 2). Random effects regression models yielded a significant interaction of hostility and work activity on ambulatory systolic blood pressure at Time 2. For those high in hostility, but not for those low in hostility, systolic blood pressure levels were higher while interacting with members of the public than during nonsocial work activities. The findings support the notion that situational factors affect the association of hostility to cardiovascular reactivity, and that interpersonal stressors in the workplace elicit cardiovascular activation among those high in hostility. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of racial stressors and hostility on cardiovascular reactivity in African American and Caucasian men.

This study examined the effects of race-related stressors and hostility on cardiovascular reactivity in 31 African American and 31 Caucasian men. Participants viewed 3 film excerpts that depicted neutral, anger-provoking (but race-neutral), and racist situations. Participants exhibited significantly greater diastolic blood pressure reactivity to anger-provoking and racist stimuli compared with neutral stimuli. In addition, high hostility was associated with higher recovery systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels after exposure to the film. Although the results failed to confirm previous reports of greater reactivity to racism in African Americans, the findings suggest that diastolic blood pressure levels may remain elevated after exposure to racist stimuli. These results indicate that even indirect exposure to interpersonal conflict elicits significant reactivity, which can persist after exposure to the stressor, especially among high-hostile men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Type A behavior, family history of hypertension, and cardiovascular responsivity among Black women.

Determined the effects of Type A (coronary-prone) behavior and family history of hypertension on cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress in 50 26–63 yr old employed Black women. Results indicated that Type A behavior was associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure hyperresponsivity during a structured interview (SI) but not during mental arithmetic. Certain speech components of the Type A pattern, as well as features of the potential-for-hostility component, were also related to cardiovascular responses during the SI. Family history of hypertension did not influence the cardiovascular parameters. Results suggest that many of the cardiovascular response characteristics of the Type A pattern that have been observed in predominately White samples also hold true for Blacks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Magnitude and duration of cardiovascular response to anger in Vietnam veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder.

This study investigated the cardiovascular responses to a relived anger task in 118 male Vietnam combat veterans (62 with posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and 56 without PTSD). Participants completed standardized diagnostic measures, hostility measures, and a laboratory session in which they relived a self-chosen anger memory while heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were measured continuously using an Ohmeda Finapres monitor. Compared with veterans without PTSD, PTSD veterans took less time to feel anger, had greater mean HR and DBP response during relived anger, and reported greater anger and anxiety during the task. There was a significant relationship between covert hostility and anger response during and after the anger task only in participants with PTSD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences in cardiovascular reactions to stress and cigarette smoking.

Examined the stability of cardiovascular (CDV) reactions to psychological stress and cigarette smoking and the extent to which CDV actions to stress were predictive of CDV reactions to smoking. 26 male Ss were given an initial test involving 2 repetitions of mental arithmetic stress and paced smoking while blood pressure and heart rate were measured. Ss were retested 2 mo later in the same paradigm. Large and stable individual differences were observed in CDV reactivity to both stress and smoking. For systolic and diastolic blood pressure, but not heart rate, reactions to stress were modestly correlated with reactions to cigarette smoking, suggesting that levels of reactivity to cigarette smoking may have significance for coronary heart disease and blood pressure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Informational mood impact on effort-related cardiovascular reponse: The diagnostic value of mood counts.

Drawing on the mood-behavior model (G. H. E. Gendolla, 2000), 2 experiments examined moods' informational impact on effort-related cardiovascular response. After being induced into positive versus negative moods, participants performed a memory task (Experiment 1) or a letter-cancellation task (Experiment 2). Half the participants received a cue that their mood could have been manipulated. As expected, both studies found stronger reactivity of systolic blood pressure in a negative mood than in a positive mood when no cue was provided. This effect diminished in the cue conditions. Additionally, achievement corresponded to systolic blood pressure reactivity (Experiment 1), the cue manipulation had no effect on mood, and mood had a congruency effect on subjective task difficulty in the no-cue conditions (Experiment 2). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Race differences in stress-induced reactivity in young adults.

Studied the cardiovascular response to the stress of mental arithmetic in 121 young Black and White adults. Stress-induced reactivity was studied before and following 14 days of oral sodium loading (10 gm NaCl per day). Marginal hypertensives, both Black and White, had greater systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels and greater diastolic BP levels in response to stress. Whites had a greater SBP level during mental stress than Blacks and greater reactivity. The prevalence of sodium sensitivity was greater in Blacks (37.3%) than in Whites (18.4%). Sodium loading did not augment the BP reactivity to the mental stress in any of the racial or BP groups. Data demonstrate racial variation in the cardiovascular response to centrally medicated adrenergic stimuli. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Discrimination, dispositions, and cardiovascular responses to stress.

Objective: Recent research suggests that past exposure to discrimination may influence perceptions of, and physiological responses to, new challenges. The authors examined how race and trait levels of hostility and optimism interact with past exposure to discrimination to predict physiological reactivity and recovery during an anger recall task. Design: A community sample of 165 normotensive Black and White adults participated in an anger recall task while having their cardiovascular function monitored. Main Outcome Measures: Blood pressure and heart rate indicators of physiological reactivity and recovery. Results and Conclusion: Participants had higher reactivity and slower recovery to the anger recall task when they had high past discrimination, low cynicism, or high optimism. The pattern of effects was similar for both racial groups, but Blacks had more acute reactivity and slower recovery than Whites. These results are consistent with the perspective of discrimination as a chronic stressor that is related to acute stress responses, particularly for Blacks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Task demand and cardiovascular response magnitude: Further evidence of the mediating role of success importance.

The interactive effects of success importance and task demand on cardiovascular reactivity were investigated in 2 experiments. In Exp 1, Ss learned that success on an easy or difficult memory task would allow them to avoid a mild or severe noise. As expected, pretask and task elevations in heart rate and systolic blood pressure increased with difficulty only when the noise was to be severe. In Exp 2, Ss listened to a victim, attending either to how she must feel or to technical features of the presentation. Then they were given the chance to earn a donation by succeeding on an easy or difficult memory task. Pretask cardiovascular data accorded with predictions predicated on the assumption that the need to help would be greater among victim perspective Ss. For them, systolic elevations increased with difficulty, whereas for technical perspective Ss systolic elevations were low regardless of task demand. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)