Comparison of three theories relating facial expressiveness to blood pressure in male and female undergraduates.
We examined differing predictions of how emotional expressions and blood pressure are related. Spontaneous positive and negative facial expressions, resting systolic blood pressure (SBP), and reactive SBP were each measured for 148 male and female undergraduates. The discharge theory of emotions proposes that few expressions will predict higher baseline SBP, and this was found for men. A mismatch theory of emotions proposes that an imbalance between positive and negative expressions will predict higher baseline SBP, and this was supported for women. Finally, coactivation theory proposes that many expressions will predict higher reactive SBP, and this was found for both men and women. These results reconcile previous conflicting findings by clarifying the conditions under which each of these theories may be supported.
Davidson
K W
KW
Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Prkachin
K M
KM
Mills
D E
DE
Lefcourt
H M
HM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D001288:Attention; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011340:Problem Solving; D012919:Social Behavior; D014434:Type A Personality