title: Hostility predicts magnitude and duration of blood pressure response to anger.
abstract: The hypothesis that hostile and nonhostile individuals would differ in both magnitude and duration of cardiovascular reactivity to relived anger was tested. Participants were 66 older adults (mean age, 62; 38 women and 28 men; 70% Caucasian American, 30% African American). Each took part in a structured interview scored using the Interpersonal Hostility Assessment Technique. Later each relived a self-chosen anger memory while heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured continuously using an Ohmeda Finapres monitor. Hostile participants had larger and longer-lasting blood pressure responses to anger. African Americans also showed longer-lasting blood pressure reactivity to anger. Health and measurement implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-1109, USA. blf@umich.edu
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Fredrickson
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Maynard
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Helms
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Haney
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Siegler
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barefoot
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000786:Anger / Q000502:physiology*; D044383:Black People; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American