Abstract
This study examined a relationship between the accuracy of heartbeat detection and physiological measures : heart rate, respiration rate and change in anxiety levels to stress. Fourteen female university students participated in two experiment sessions. In the first session, the accuracy of the heartbeat detection was assessed using a heartbeat detection task. In this task, subjects were asked to judge the simultaneity of heartbeat sensations and continous eight tones at six intervals after concurrent ECG R-waves. In the second session, heart rate, respiration rate and anxiety levels were measured during both rest and a count-down period. Just before the count-down period, the subjects were instructed that they were likely to get a mild electric shock and a strong light flash. Two groupsgood and bad perceivers-were formed on the basis of the result of the first session. These groups did not differ in physiological response and anxiety levels to stress. The results are discussed in terms of an arousal regulation model of emotion.
