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A freezing‐like posture to pictures of mutilation
Author(s) -
Azevedo Tatiana M.,
Volchan Eliane,
Imbiriba Luiz A.,
Rodrigues Erika C.,
Oliveira José M.,
Oliveira Liliam F.,
Lutterbach Luiz G.,
Vargas Claudia D.
Publication year - 2005
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.1469-8986.2005.00287.x
Subject(s) - psychology , heart rate , bradycardia , audiology , social psychology , blood pressure , medicine , radiology
Postural sway and heart rate were recorded in young men viewing emotionally engaging pictures. It was hypothesized that they would show a human analog of “freezing” behavior (i.e., immobility and heart rate deceleration) when confronted with a sustained block of unpleasant (mutilation) images, relative to their response to pleasant/arousing (sport action) or neutral (objects) pictures. Volunteers stood on a stabilometric platform during picture viewing. Significantly reduced body sway was recorded during the unpleasant pictures, along with increased mean power frequency (indexing muscle stiffness). Heart rate during unpleasant pictures also showed the expected greater deceleration. This pattern resembles the “freezing” and “fear bradycardia” seen in many species when confronted with threatening stimuli, mediated by neural circuits that promote defensive survival.