Experimental studies in affective processes: I. Some effects of cognitive structure and active participation on certain autonomic reactions during and following experimentally induced stress.

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Abstract
Records of autonomic activity (via. palmar sweating) in adult human subjects were used to measure their physiol. adjustment during and following stress induced by strong electric shock. Continuous records of all changes in palmar skin resistance (i.e., all variations on all resistance ranges) were made by an ink-writing microammeter (G.E., No. 32C20) placed in series with a modified Jr. Volt-Ohmist. The purpose of the expt. was to determine the role of active participation (i.e., the extent to which the subject faced or confronted the situation) and the role of cognitive structure (i.e., the extent to which the subject "knew what it was all about") in relation to physiol. adjustment to severe stress. There were 2 major variables: (a) method of shock (whether the subject was shocked by himself or by the experimenter) and (b) method of therapy after the stress (whether the subject merely "rested," went through the same procedure without shocks, or abreacted emotionally and learned the purpose, etc. of the expt.). The results indicate that those individuals who knew most about the conditions involved in the exptl. situation and who took an active attitude or role in facing this experience consistently showed significantly less disturbance on all measures of autonomic reactivity during the period of stress and a significantly more rapid recovery of autonomic equilibrium during the therapy period following the induced stress.