Effects of Cognitive Appraisal of Stress on Heart Rate and Task Performance

Abstract

The effects of threat of shock on heart rate and motor performance were studied on Ss differing in previously expressed fear of shock. Twenty-four high fear-of-shock (HFS) and an equal number of low fear-of-shock (LFS) Ss were given 15 training trials on a conventional pursuit rotor. Following training one third of the Ss were informed that during subsequent trials shock would be administered if performance fell below training levels, one third were told that shock would be randomly administered, and the remaining third served as a control. No shocks were actually administered. HFS Ss revealed significantly greater heart-rate acceleration and performance impairment, but only under the condition in which Ss were told that receipt of shock would be contingent on prior performance level.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Deese

Skilled performance and conditions of stress. In Glaser

(Ed.), Training research and education. Pittsburgh: Univer. of Pittsburgh Press, 1962. Pp. 199–222.

Hodges

W. F.

Spielberger

C. D.

The effects of threat of shock on heart rate for subjects who differ in manifest anxiety and fear of shock. Psychophysiology, 1966, 2, 287–294.

Horvath

F. E.

Psychological stress: a review of definitions and experimental research. General Systems Yearbook, 1959, 4, 203–231.

Katkin

E. S.

Relationship between manifest anxiety and two indices of autonomic response to stress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1965, 2, 324–333.

Lazarus

R. S.

Psychological stress and the coping process. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1966.

Lazarus

R. S.

Alfert

Short-circuiting of threat by experimentally altering cognitive appraisal. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1964, 69, 195–205.

Lazarus

R. S.

Deese

Osler

S. F.

The effects of psychological stress upon performance. Psychological Bulletin, 1952, 49, 293–317.

Porter

R. W.

Brady

J. V.

Conrad

Mason

J. W.

Galambos

Rioch

D. M.

Some experimental observations on gastrointestinal lesions in behaviorally conditioned monkeys. Psychosomatic Medicine, 1958, 20, 379–394.

Speisman

J. C.

Lazarus

R. S.

Mordkoff

Davison

Experimental reduction of stress based on ego-defense theory. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1964, 68, 367–380.

10.

Spielberger

C. D.

Theory and research on anxiety. In Spielberger

C. D.

(Ed.), Anxiety and behavior. New York: Academic Press, 1966. Pp. 3–20.

11.

Taylor

J. A.

A personality scale of manifest anxiety. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1953, 48, 285–290.

12.

Winer

B. J.

Statistical principles in experimental design. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1962.