Abstract
Thirty-two female subjects cognitively rehearsed previously rated, important self-referent statements while psychophysiological measures of arousal (heart rate, skin conductance, and finger pulse volume)were recorded. The self-statements, based on academic, social, and family-parental problem areas, were either positively or negatively valenced. Additionally, the self-statements varied on the degree of discrepancy (distance from the the subject's belief about herself)and were presented along with neutral statements. No difference between the valenced self-statements and the neutral statements was shown by any physiological measure. For skin conductance, a significant valence by discrepancy interaction indicated that the negative, moderately discrepant statements induced greater arousal than the positive, moderately discrepant self-statements. The skin conductance results are interpreted via cognitive-behavioral and social judgment theory, and the therapeutic implications are discussed.
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Reference Notes
Craighead, W. E., Rogers, T., & Bauer, R. M.Cognitive mediation of physiological arousal: A methodological review. Unpublished manuscript, Pennsylvania State University, 1977.
Craighead, W. E., & Craighead, L. A.Some implications of attitude-change research for the modification of self-statements. Unpublished manuscript, Pennsylvania State University, 1977.
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This research was supported in part by a grant from Pennsylvania State University, College of Liberal Arts, Central Fund for Research. Appreciation is expressed to Lorraine DePaul, Diane Zacher, John Trach, Bill Hickey, and Elizabeth Rice for their assistance in the completion of this study.
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Rogers, T., Craighead, W.E. Physiological responses to self-statements: The effects of statement valence and discrepancy. Cogn Ther Res 1, 99–119 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173632
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173632