The Effects of an Aversive Auditory Stimulus on Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and Emotional Reactivity Based on Personality (Introversion/Extraversion) to Predict Self-Rated Health
Date
2012-08
Authors
Allen, Claire
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Abstract
The purpose of the study was to determine the emotional and physiological reactivity of an aversive, 60-second, auditory stimulus compared to a 60-second control stimulus as a function of extraversion. Blood pressure, heart rate, and current emotional state were measure pre and post stimulus. The changes in the participants’ scores on a self-rated emotional inventory provided a measure of emotional reactivity for this study. A measure of extraversion categorized participants accordingly and differences between these groups were analyzed. A measure of self-rated health was given and possible reasons for differences between groups are discussed. There were a total of 74 participants in this study. Based on a mean split of Eysenck Extraversion scores at 63.53,
32 (43.2%) participants fell into the extraversion group and 42 (56.8%) participants fell into the introversion group. The data were analyzed using mixed-measures ANOVAs. There were two significant findings: higher heart rates were recorded for the introversion group both pre and post stimulus, and the introversion group rated lower on the Self-Rated Health assessment.
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Keywords
emotional reactivity, aversive auditory stimulus, personality, physiological effects
Citation
Allen, C. (2012). The effects of an aversive auditory stimulus on blood pressure, heart rate, and emotional reactivity based on personality (introversion/extraversion) to predict self-rated health (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, Texas.