Abstract
The relationship between components of hostility and cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) was investigated. Participants were 20 male university students who completed the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, which assesses four components of hostility : “Anger”, “Hostility”, “Verbal Aggression”, and “Physical Aggression”. After a rest period, participants were exposed to four experimental conditions : normal mental arithmetic task (NMA), provocative mental arithmetic task (PMA), provocative rest period (PRP), and recovery period (RP). In the provocative conditions, participants were presented with anger-provoking verbal stimuli. Results demonstrated significant increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and angry mood in PMA and PRP. Correlation coefficients between components of hostility and CVR indicated that Anger scores were related to increased systolic blood pressure in PRP, and Physical Aggression scores were related to decreased baroreceptor reflex sensitivity in PRP and RP. These results are consistent with past findings on CVR and hostility in other cultures. The results are discussed in relation to the association between hostility and coronary heart disease. (Japanese Journal of Physiological Psychology and Psychophysiology, 22 (3) : 215-224, 2004.)
