Psychophysiological response specificities: A replication over a 12-month period

A sample of 58 students was subjected to four stress conditions and showed a rather stable ISR in physiological variables when tested again after two months, and about 14% when testing again after twelve months, which replicated earlier findings.

Abstract

A sample of 58 students was subjected to four stress conditions (mental arithmetic, reaction time, free speech, cold-pressor test). Eight physiological variables (skin conductance, heart rate, pulse amplitude, Heather index, eye blinking, horizontal eye movements, respiration rate, blood pressure) and five psychological variables (self-rated anger, irritability, tenseness, motivation, indifference) were monitored. Proportions of variance in a three-factor ANOVA (subjects, situations, variables) accounted for by individual specific response patterns (ISR) amounted to 33-40% for physiological and 9-13% for psychological variables. Stimulus specific response patterns (SSR) accounted for 11-19% for physiological and 8-14% for psychological variables, and motivation specific response patterns (MSR) for 17% for physiological and 14-16% for psychological variables. About one-fourth of the subjects showed a rather stable ISR in physiological variables when tested again after two months, and about 14% when tested again after twelve months. Overall, the results replicated earlier findings from this laboratory.