title: Physiological and neuropsychological correlates of hostility.
abstract: This experiment tested two hypotheses linking right cerebral arousal to hostility and physiological arousal. A replication of previous research supporting heightened physiological (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) reactivity among high-hostility subjects was partially successful. Hemispheric lateralization of cerebral activity in response to stress was also measured. Low- and high-hostility subjects were identified using the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (CMHS). Physiological measures (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) were recorded and dichotic listening procedures were administered before and after administration of the cold-pressor paradigm. The primary finding of this research was greater right cerebral activation to stress among high-hostility subjects, as indicated by their enhanced ability to identify syllables presented to the left ear. Data further supported previous findings of heightened physiological reactivity to stress among high-hostility subjects and suggest a positive relationship between right cerebral activity and cardiovascular arousal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, College of Arts and Science, Blacksburg 24061-0436, USA.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Demaree
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis