title: Higher resting heart rate variability predicts skill in expressing some emotions.
abstract: Vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is a measure of cardiac vagal tone, and is widely viewed as a physiological index of the capacity to regulate emotions. However, studies have not directly tested whether vmHRV is associated with the ability to facially express emotions. In extending prior work, the current report tested links between resting vmHRV and the objectively assessed ability to facially express emotions, hypothesizing that higher vmHRV would predict greater expressive skill. Eighty healthy women completed self-reported measures, before attending a laboratory session in which vmHRV and the ability to express six emotions in the face were assessed. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a marginal main effect for vmHRV on skill overall; individuals with higher resting vmHRV were only better able to deliberately facially express anger and interest. Findings suggest that differences in resting vmHRV are associated with the objectively assessed ability to facially express some, but not all, emotions, with potential implications for health and well-being.
authors: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Natalie L
authors: NL
authors: Tuck
authors: School of Medicine, University of Otago, Otago, New Zealand.
authors: Rosemary C I
authors: RC
authors: Grant
authors: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: John J
authors: JJ
authors: Sollers
authors: Molecular Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Roger J
authors: RJ
authors: Booth
authors: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors: Nathan S
authors: NS
authors: Consedine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Emotion; Emotion regulation; Expressive skill; Health; Heart rate variability