title: Hierarchy and health: Physiological effects of interpersonal experiences associated with socioeconomic position.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The inverse association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and cardiovascular disease may involve social psychophysiological processes. To test effects of aspects of SEP on physiological reactivity, we experimentally manipulated 3 features of social context related to social hierarchy-social rank or status relative to an interaction partner, the partner's degree of dominant behavior, and the presence of social-evaluative threat.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 (Participant Relative Status [high vs. low] × Partner Dominance [high vs. low] × Evaluative Threat [high vs. low] × Sex [male vs. female]) factorial, and 180 undergraduates participated. Cardiovascular and salivary cortisol responses were measured while participants engaged in a controlled interaction task with a prerecorded confederate partner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower participant relative status resulted in greater increases in systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Interacting with a more dominant partner resulted in greater increases in SBP and heart rate (HR), and larger changes in cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic activation. Higher levels of social-evaluative threat evoked larger increases in HR and SBP. In some cases, these effects were stronger in men than in women, and aspects of the low status social context had synergistic effects on some physiological outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interpersonal interactions and experiences may contribute to the association between SEP and cardiovascular health through the mechanism of physiological activation. Recurring patterns of everyday social experiences and their physiological effects may be a pathway linking the broader social context to cardiovascular disease. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Utah.
authors.forename: Jenny M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cundiff
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Utah.
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Utah.
authors.forename: Carolynne E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Baron
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Utah.
authors.forename: Bert N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Uchino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012923:Social Class; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone