Heart Rate Variability as an Index of Regulated Emotional Responding

Abstract

The study of individual differences in emotional responding can provide considerable insight into interpersonal dynamics and the etiology of psychopathology. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is emerging as an objective measure of regulated emotional responding (generating emotional responses of appropriate timing and magnitude). This review provides a theoretical and empirical rationale for the use of HRV as an index of individual differences in regulated emotional responding. Two major theoretical frameworks that articulate the role of HRV in emotional responding are presented, and relevant empirical literature is reviewed. The case is made that HRV is an accessible research tool that can increase the understanding of emotion in social and psychopathological processes.

Cardiovascular and psychological responses to voluntary recall of trauma in posttraumatic stress disorder

“…Flexibility of the autonomic nervous system, indicated by alterations in both the sympathetic nervous systems (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) in response to stress, has been associated with better psychological adjustment (Appelhans & Luecken, 2006; Berntson, Norman, Hawkley, & Cacioppo, 2008; Thayer, Ahs, Fredrikson, Sollers, & Wager, 2012). While heightened SNS activation has been suggested to underlie the fight or flight response (Thayer & Lane, 2009), elevated PNS activation has been associated with increased concentration or a state freezing response under extreme stress (Bradley & Lang, 2007; Chou, La Marca, Steptoe, & Brewin, 2014; Hansen, Johnsen, & Thayer, 2003).…”

Emotion regulation and trader expertise: Heart rate variability on the trading floor.

“…The LF reflects both SNS and PSNS activity. Thus higher HF scores indicate better moment by moment regulation (Appelhans & Luecken, 2006;Geisler & Kubiak, 2009;Taskforce). The power spectrum was analysed using a Lomb-Scargle transform (Saini, Singh, Uddin, & Kumar, 2009).…”

“…Effective emotion regulation requires the ability to adjust physiological arousal on a moment by moment basis (Gross & Thompson, 2007). The SNS triggers gross physiological reactions to internal and external events, fight/flight for example; while the PSNS effectively sculpts physiological reactions to be appropriately adaptive for the context (Appelhans & Luecken, 2006). Heart rate variability provides a measure of the moment by moment interaction of the SNS and PSNS yielding information about autonomic flexibility and thus regulated emotion responding.…”

“…Heart rate variability provides a measure of the moment by moment interaction of the SNS and PSNS yielding information about autonomic flexibility and thus regulated emotion responding. HRV can be considered a proxy for the central autonomic network's regulation, via inhibition, of the timing and intensity of an emotional response in response to environmental stimuli (Appelhans & Luecken, 2006;Geisler & Kubiak, 2009;Hansen, Johnsen, & Thayer, 2009;Moses, Luecken, & Eason, 2007;Utsey & Hook, 2007). Power spectral analysis of ECG can be used to separate out a high and low frequency band.…”

When brains dialogue by synchronized or unsynchronized languages.Hyperscanning applications to neuromanagement

“…HR values showed us a greater activation for the authoritative leader that had to face his personal change topic, highlighting some difficulties in managing a situation in which he is personally involved for his company improvement. According to literature, an increased heart rate is characteristic of a state of arousal (Appelhans & Luecken, 2006) and by the other hand, we can see a cooperative leader more quiet and with lower HR values. We know that leaders with higher emotional intelligence can also empathize more effectively with the emotion of employees and express more emotionally appropriate interactions and reactions (Mayer et al, 2008).…”