Self‐focus and task difficulty effects on effort‐related cardiovascular reactivity
- 22 May 2008
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Psychophysiology
- Vol. 45 (4), 653-662
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2008.00655.x
Abstract
Two experiments examined the joint impact of self-focused attention and task difficulty on performance-related cardiovascular reactivity. Predictions were derived from an application of the principles of motivational intensity theory and its integration with the active coping approach to performance conditions that have consequences for self-esteem. According to this model, self-focus will induce a state of self-evaluation and thus augment the importance of success, and cardiovascular reactivity will increase with difficulty until a task becomes impossible or the goal is not worth the necessary resources. Supporting these predictions, 2 experiments found that high self-focus increased performance-related systolic blood pressure reactivity when difficulty was unfixed (“do your best”) or fixed at a high level. When the task was easy or impossible, however, high self-focus did not affect systolic reactivity relative to low self-focus.Keywords
This publication has 60 references indexed in Scilit:
- Effects of social anxiety and evaluative threat on cardiovascular responses to active performance situationsBiological Psychology, 2007
- Vigilance, active coping, and cardiovascular reactivity during social interaction in young men.Health Psychology, 2000
- Interactive Influence of Self-Reported Ability and Avoidant Task Demand on Anticipatory Cardiovascular ResponsivityJournal of Research in Personality, 1994
- Effects of self-focus, discrepancy between self and standard, and outcome expectancy favorability on the tendency to match self to standard or to withdraw.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1992
- The Reliability and Specificity of Delta Versus Residualized Change as Measures of Cardiovascular Reactivity to Behavioral ChallengesPsychophysiology, 1991
- Hemodynamics of Blood Pressure Responses During Active and Passive CopingPsychophysiology, 1990
- Reassertion and giving up: The interactive role of self-directed attention and outcome expectancy.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1979
- The assessment of private and public self-consciousness: A German replicationEuropean Journal of Social Psychology, 1979
- Reassertion and giving up: The interactive role of self-directed attention and outcome expectancy.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1979
- Public and private self-consciousness: Assessment and theory.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1975