Peripheral Vasomotor Reactions as Indices of Basic Emotional Tension and Lability

Abstract

Ear-lier studies in which the author participated showed that the emotionally labile person tended to exceed the emotionally stable person in rate of change in finger vol. with simple tasks. In the present investigation finger plethysmographic records were obtained from 50 college students (40 men, 10 women). The records were made in a darkened, sound-proof room. The temp. was kept constant at 25-27[degree]C. Four plethysmographic records from one of the fingers of the right hand were taken on each subject under the following conditions: in relaxation; while the left hand was being immersed in a cold bath of 18[degree]C; while holding the breath; and while solving problems in mental arithmetic. The Bell Adjustment Inventory (Student Form) was administered to each subject in order to secure a measure of emotional stability. Factor analysis applied to 12 variables of plethysmographic measures, room and hot water temps., and Bell Inventory scores identified 3 factors: emotional stability-lability, basic emotional tension, and a specific factor. Emotional stability was most adequately measured by a battery of 5 physiologic variables. This battery correlated 0.653 with the Bell Inventory emotional lability-stability scores.