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COMBINED AUTONOMIC EFFECTS OF CONCURRENTLY‐APPLIED STRESSORS
Author(s) -
Patton Gary W. R.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1970.tb02258.x
Subject(s) - anagrams , stressor , psychology , anagram , sympathetic nervous system , autonomic nervous system , stress (linguistics) , developmental psychology , audiology , clinical psychology , medicine , heart rate , blood pressure , management , economics , task (project management) , linguistics , philosophy
This study attempted to determine if two stressors applied simultaneously produce greater sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity than does one stress acting alone. A preliminary study (Experiment I) was undertaken to ensure that each stress, when compared with a nonstress condition, independently produced increased SNS activity. To this end, 24 U.S. Army enlisted men (a) solved anagrams, (b) underwent semi‐nude exposure to 50°F cold, and (c) watched a comedy movie. SNS activity during (a) and (b) was independently compared with (c). Subsequently, in Experiment II, S s′ responses during a single stress (55°F cold exposure) were contrasted with those recorded during a dual stress condition (anagram solving during 55°F cold exposure). Each stress independently produced increased SNS activity, and the two stressors combined produced more SNS activity than did cold exposure alone.