Experimental reduction of stress based on ego-defense theory.

Describing the emotional states that are expressed in speech

“…In one of the first experimental investigations of the appraisal process, Speisman et al (1964) had volunteers view a gruesome film under different instructional set conditions. Films and videos are now widely used for the induction of a variety of Gross and Levenson, 1995;Hagemann et al, 1999;Luminet et al, 2000).…”

The effect of experimentally altered cognitive appraisal on pain tolerance

“…Significant differences among the three instruction means when endorsement was by the nurse's aide (X for denial = 45.6, X for intellectualization = 56.1, and X for the neutral instructions = 61.2)_ DISCUSSION The "main-effect" superiority in increasing pain tolerance of the cognitive-appraisal instructions involving "denial of the pain" tends to confirm the contention that procedures leading to increased tolerance of physical stress may be different from those increasing tolerance of psychological stress (Bobey & Davidson, in press)_ Speisman et al (1964) found that for a sample of university students a stress-film commentary emphasizing intellectualization was more effective than a denial commentary in reducing stress reaction to the mm_ However, the opposite was true of the student sample included in the present study using the administration of physical stress_…”

“…20 (2) the denial instructions when endorsement was by the nonclinician is not clear, especially since the difference between pain tolerance under the neutral instructions (X = 63.7) as compared to that under the denial instructions (X = 79.8) was not significant (q = 1.9, df = 16, p > .10). It is possible that the instructions involving content of an intellectual nature were incompatible with endorsement by a grade-nine student leading to apprehension about their efficacy, with resulting increased anxiety over the pain experience and subsequent decreased pain tolerance (Conn, 1961)_ The procedures designed to manipulate cognitive appraisal used in this study differed from those of Speisman et al (1964) and Lazarus & Alfert (1964) as the Ss were asked to manipulate their own cognitive appraisal rather than E manipulating cognitive appraisal by programming the S's experience in the laboratory. However, it might be argued that the present study more closely resembles the real-life situation in that cognitive defenses against stress are instigated by the stressed individual himself.…”

“…Two sets of instructions aimed at affecting cognitive appraisal on the part of S were adopted from procedures labeled by Speisman et al (1964) as "intellectualization" and "denial." The printed passages with the intellectualization instructions informed S that one source contacted by E (see a description of the fictitious sources below) recommended, as a help in coping with pain, thinking of pain as being "just a reaction of sensory nerves which is a protective mechanism."…”

“…Cognitive appraisal has been found to affect not only reaction to physical stress (pain) but reaction to psychological stress as well. Results reported by Speisman, Lazarus, Mordkoff, & Davison (1964) and Lazarus & A1fert (1964) showed that reaction to a stress-inducing motion-picture fllm could be modified by varying the commentary accompanying the mm. Commentaries involving "-denial" of or "intellectualization" about the traumatic aspects of the mm produced a reduction in stress reaction.…”