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Role-played interpersonal interaction: Ecological validity and cardiovascular reactivity

  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Conflictual role-play scenarios have been used to model brief interpersonal interaction and to elicit cardiovascular reactivity in the laboratory. Here we discuss data suggesting that role-played interactions constitute an ecologically valid laboratory task that may improve laboratory-to-field generalization of cardiovascular response. Specifically, our research indicates that young adults perceive the stress associated with role-play scenarios as similar to that encountered in everyday life. Furthermore, these stress appraisals moderate cardiovascular response to role-play in men. We also find that a social stressor (i.e. speech task) is perceived as significantly more similar to a real-life stressor as compared to other standard laboratory tasks. We propose that particular constellations of cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to laboratory-based social stressors, such as role-played interaction, may elicit different patterns of hemodynamic response. Further understanding of interrelations among cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiological response patterns may assist in the study of cardiovascular reactivity as a potential mechanism linking personality factors and the development of cardiovascular disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, 21250, Baltimore, MD

    Shari R. Waldstein, Serina A. Neumann, Halina O. Burns & Karl J. Maier

  2. University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA

    Shari R. Waldstein

  3. Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, USA

    Shari R. Waldstein

Authors
  1. Shari R. Waldstein
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  2. Serina A. Neumann
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  3. Halina O. Burns
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  4. Karl J. Maier
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Preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by the University of Maryland Graduate School's Designated Research Initiative Fund.

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Waldstein, S.R., Neumann, S.A., Burns, H.O. et al. Role-played interpersonal interaction: Ecological validity and cardiovascular reactivity. ann. behav. med. 20, 302–309 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02886379

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02886379

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