Stimulus specificity of physiological response to stress and the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern.

Conducted 2 experiments with male undergraduates to determine the influence of stimulus specificity on differences in physiological response to stress of coronary-prone (Type A) and noncoronary-prone (Type B [Jenkins Activity Survey]) individuals. In Exp I, a RT task was presented to 51 Ss with and without stress relevant to the Type A behavior pattern. The physiological responses of Type A Ss were greater in the relevant stress compared to the neutral task condition, but responses of Type B Ss were similar in the 2 conditions. In Exp II, 25 Type A and Type B Ss performed a stressful task that was not theoretically relevant to the Type A behavior pattern. Physiological response elevations were found for both groups, but as predicted, there were no differences between Type A and Type B Ss. Results support the discriminant validity of the Type A construct and provide additional evidence for the role of physiological response differences as mediators of the behavior-pattern–disease relationship. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirical assessment of visceral self-perception: Individual and sex differences in the acquisition of heartbeat discrimination.

Employed a new methodology based on the theory of signal detection to evaluate objectively and quantitatively the performance of 9 male and 9 female undergraduates. Results confirm the validity of the methodology for assessing heartbeat detection and also confirmed earlier observations that males are able to learn to detect their own heartbeats but females are not. Findings are discussed with particular reference to implications for viscerally based theories of emotion. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oral imagery and autonomic arousal in social isolation.

Electrodermal activity of 120 male Ss high and low on Rorschach oral-dependent responses was monitored in 1 of 3 conditions while the S was in a soundproof chamber for 40 min: alone with no task, alone working on a clerical task, and together with a male confederate, both working independently on the clerical task. Oral-dependent Ss placed in the chamber with the confederate showed fewer electrodermal increases over time than orals sitting alone or nonorals either alone or with the confederate. On the clerical task there was a strong main effect of orality, with nonorals showing more accuracy than orals. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)