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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Sex differences in autonomic response and situational appraisal of a competitive situation in young adults.
Adrián Alacreu-crespoMiguel ÁNgel SerranoRaquel CostaDiana Abad-tortosaAlicia Salvadorsubject
AdultMaleCompetitive Behaviormedia_common.quotation_subjectBlood PressureAutonomic Nervous SystemCompetition (biology)Developmental psychologyTask (project management)03 medical and health sciencesYoung Adult0302 clinical medicineSex FactorsHeart RateStress PhysiologicalAdaptation PsychologicalHeart rate variabilityHumans0501 psychology and cognitive sciences050102 behavioral science & comparative psychologySituational ethicsYoung adultmedia_commonGeneral Neuroscience05 social sciencesStressorGalvanic Skin ResponseNeuropsychology and Physiological PsychologyBlood pressureFemalePerceptionAttributionPsychology030217 neurology & neurosurgeryStress Psychologicaldescription
Competition is a social stressor capable of eliciting physiological responses modulated by the outcome. The main objective of this study was to analyze the psychophysiological changes associated with competition and its outcome in men and women, taking into account the role of situational appraisal. To this end, 112 young people (46 men and 66 women) participated in a laboratory task in a competitive or non-competitive condition, while Blood Pressure (BP), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Skin Conductance (SC) responses were measured. Our results indicate that competition elicits higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) than a non-competitive task; in addition, winners presented a greater R-R decrease from baseline to task, greater R-R Recovery, and lower frustration and external attribution than losers. Regarding sex, men perceived their opponent's capacity to be lower and their own capacity to be greater than women did, and they also showed higher R-R decreases and lower SC increases. In conclusion, we found a complex pattern of different psychophysiological responses to competition associated with outcome and sex in a laboratory competition. This result could be related to the use of more passive or active coping strategies.
year | journal | country | edition | language |
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2017-05-01 | Biological psychology |