An investigation into the effects of social evaluation on cardiovascular and endocrine responses to the CO₂stress test in humans

Abstract

The present study examined whether social evaluation could heighten individuals' physiological responses to the CO(2) stress test, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) response in particular. Twenty-five healthy volunteers undertook the CO(2) test under three conditions: (i) standard CO(2) protocol, (ii) standard CO(2) protocol conducted in front of a full-length mirror (mirror) and (iii) standard CO(2) protocol conducted in front of a video camera deemed to be transmitting live images of the procedure to investigators evaluating participant performance (video). Despite counterbalancing for task order, there were significant differences in anger and depression among the conditions. Repeated measures analysis of variances (ANOVAs), controlling for these mood indices, revealed that salivary cortisol, heart rate and systolic blood pressure responses to the CO(2) test were not affected by social evaluation (i.e. mirror or video). Although the data provide no evidence that endocrine and cardiovascular responses to the CO(2) test are affected by social evaluation, the potency of the social evaluation manipulation in this study is in question. Thus, further research is warranted which includes evidence of, or instructions suggesting negative social evaluation.

Stress: conceptualization, framing, and induction

“…The data averages scored across different time points were compared to the reported ranges published in previous papers. Data averages on the CO2 stress task were comparable to findings previously published (see Kaye et al 2004;Vedhara et al 2010). Data averages on the TSST task were also comparable to findings previously published (see Andrews, D'Aguiar, & Pruessner, 2012;Childs, Vicini, & De Wit, 2006;Kirschbaum, Pirke, & Hellhammer 1993).…”

Salivary α-Amylase Reactivity to Laboratory Social Stress With and Without Acute Sleep Restriction

“…Specifically, present results demonstrated a significant increase in sAA in response to an acute social stress protocol, where the primary social evaluative element was presented by virtual (i.e., video-relayed) observers. Incorporating experimental considerations from Thorsteinsson et al (1998) and Vedhara et al (2010), these findings support the use of video presentation as a potentially more precise and cost-efficient way of examining social stress effects than is achievable using a live audience. Such a methodology affords greater standardization of verbal instruction to the participant, in addition to gender, gestures, facial expressions, and other physical and nonverbal characteristics of the person(s) providing the evaluation.…”

“…While the majority of experimental stress research in this domain have used a standardized psychosocial stress test, the aforementioned Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum, Pirke, & Hellhammer, 1993), to demonstrate marked increases in sAA responsivity relative to rested conditions (Granger et al, 2006; Maruyama et al., 2012), other laboratory manipulations have been less successful. For example, Vedhara et al (2010) failed to find physiological reactivity (heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and cortisol) in response to their laboratory social stress manipulation. These researchers suggested that there may have been a loss of audience evaluative strength due to appraisal being delivered remotely (via video) rather than using the physical presence of others for evaluation.…”

“…A primary aim of the present study was to examine sAA response following one night of acute sleep restriction, verified by wrist actigraphy, compared to a rested group. Incorporating methodological considerations from both Thorsteinsson et al (1998) and Vedhara et al (2010), a secondary aim sought to shed light on the sensitivity of sAA response to a laboratory stress protocol, exposing participants to negative social evaluation, presented by video relay.…”

Maternal Mood and Neuroendocrine Programming: Effects of Time of Exposure and Sex

“…Data from the self‐report mood measures were computed into the relevant sub‐scales. In line with previous use of the CO 2 stress test (38), pre‐stress function and SNS and PNS reactivity and recovery were obtained from the original SBP and HR data. This involved computing the mean of the five measurements taken before CO 2 inhalation (−5 min to −1 min) to capture pre‐stress function.…”