title: Cardiovascular correlates of emotional expression and suppression: do content and gender context matter?
abstract: Three studies examined cardiovascular (CV) responses during emotional expression with empathically responsive strangers. Study 1 demonstrated that self-relevant emotional expression fostered CV reactivity consistent with challenge. Study 2 manipulated content of discussion by assigning participants to 1 of 4 conditions: emotional, nonemotional, emotional suppression, nonemotional suppression. In same-sex dyads. emotional expression elicited CV challenge reactivity whereas emotional suppression evoked CV threat reactivity, both compared with appropriate control groups. In opposite-sex dyads, however, emotional expression engendered CV threat. Because same- and opposite-sex disclosures differed, Study 3 controlled the content of emotional expression while manipulating gender context. Results confirmed findings from the first 2 studies, indicating that both context and content of emotional expression influenced CV effects. Findings are discussed within a theoretical challenge and threat perspective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara 94143, USA. wberrymendes@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Wendy Berry
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Harry T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Seery
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blascovich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012737:Sex Factors