title: Are older adults less or more physiologically reactive? A meta-analysis of age-related differences in cardiovascular reactivity to laboratory tasks.
abstract: In this meta-analytic review of 31 laboratory studies, we examined if relatively older adults showed lower or higher cardiovascular reactivity compared with relatively younger adults. Results revealed that age was associated with lower heart rate reactivity but higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) reactivity during emotionally evocative tasks. Consistent with the predictions of dynamic integration theory, the result for SBP was moderated by the degree of task activation. These data are discussed in light of existing self-regulatory models and important future research directions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E., Room 502, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0251, USA. bert.uchino@psych.utah.edu
authors.forename: Bert N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Uchino
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Birmingham
authors.forename: Cynthia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000339:Affect; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology