Beneficial Effects of Self-Affirmation on Heart Rate Variability, Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia, and Emotion

Mentor 1

Raymond Fleming

Mentor 2

Wei-Ju Chen

Location

Union Wisconsin Room

Start Date

28-4-2017 1:30 PM

End Date

28-4-2017 4:00 PM

Description

Affirmation of personal values and characteristics (e.g., relations with friends and family, romantic values, sense of humor) has been shown to have positive effects, including but not limited to buffering against stress, coping with threatening situations, and promoting healthy behaviors. However, the immediate emotional and cardiovascular responses impacted by self (or value) affirmation have not been fully explored. Therefore, the present study aims to provide more insight into the immediate effects of self-affirmation on emotion and cardiovascular reactivity. One hundred and twenty-five UWM students completed this study (MAge = 22.90, SDAge = 6.09). The researchers used a within-subject design, in which each participant went through both the control and self-affirmation conditions (order of presentation was counterbalanced). In the self-affirmation condition, participants were asked to write about their top-ranked personal value, whereas a writing exercise unrelated to personal values was used in the control condition. After each writing exercise, the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) was used to induce positive and negative affect. Cardiovascular measures and self-reported emotional responses were collected throughout the experiment. Results showed that compared to their state during the control task, when self-affirmed, participants showed greater high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), F(1, 123) = 34.80, p .001, and higher levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), F(1, 122) = 14.82, p .001, reflecting more parasympathetic activity. After self-affirmation, participants reported more positive affect, F(1, 123) = 11.67, p = .001, and higher levels of self-worth, F(1, 124) = 14.04, p .001. These findings suggest that the act of focusing on a core personal value has beneficial effects on physiological and psychological well-being. These results may provide more insight into the role of cardiovascular reactivity in self-affirmation and emotion.

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Apr 28th, 1:30 PM Apr 28th, 4:00 PM

Beneficial Effects of Self-Affirmation on Heart Rate Variability, Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia, and Emotion

Union Wisconsin Room

Affirmation of personal values and characteristics (e.g., relations with friends and family, romantic values, sense of humor) has been shown to have positive effects, including but not limited to buffering against stress, coping with threatening situations, and promoting healthy behaviors. However, the immediate emotional and cardiovascular responses impacted by self (or value) affirmation have not been fully explored. Therefore, the present study aims to provide more insight into the immediate effects of self-affirmation on emotion and cardiovascular reactivity. One hundred and twenty-five UWM students completed this study (MAge = 22.90, SDAge = 6.09). The researchers used a within-subject design, in which each participant went through both the control and self-affirmation conditions (order of presentation was counterbalanced). In the self-affirmation condition, participants were asked to write about their top-ranked personal value, whereas a writing exercise unrelated to personal values was used in the control condition. After each writing exercise, the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) was used to induce positive and negative affect. Cardiovascular measures and self-reported emotional responses were collected throughout the experiment. Results showed that compared to their state during the control task, when self-affirmed, participants showed greater high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), F(1, 123) = 34.80, p .001, and higher levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), F(1, 122) = 14.82, p .001, reflecting more parasympathetic activity. After self-affirmation, participants reported more positive affect, F(1, 123) = 11.67, p = .001, and higher levels of self-worth, F(1, 124) = 14.04, p .001. These findings suggest that the act of focusing on a core personal value has beneficial effects on physiological and psychological well-being. These results may provide more insight into the role of cardiovascular reactivity in self-affirmation and emotion.