Psychology of computer use: XLII. Problem solving and humor as a function of computer anxiety.

From a pool of 115 undergraduate women, 20 were placed in a Computer-anxious group and 20 in a Computer-nonanxious group based on their scores on the Computer Anxiety Scale. Half of the subjects were randomly assigned to a group to which the computer presented the problems first and half to a group to whom the computer presented the jokes first. Electromyograms from subjects' zygomatic muscles were monitored as well as palmar skin conductance. Behavioral measures were collected prior to and following the computer interaction. Although the electromyogram for zygomatic tension (smiles) was higher in the jokes condition, indicating that subjects responded to jokes as humorous, Computer-anxious subjects showed increased scores on anxiety and depression and relatively high skin conductance on the initial joke. Subjects with high computer-anxiety had less experience with computers, had lower scores on the Rosenberg Self-esteem test, and, likely not being familiar with computer humor, reacted anxiously.

Hepatic dysoxia commences during O2 supply dependence.

Hepatic O2 consumption (VO2) remains relatively constant (O2 supply independent) as O2 delivery (DO2) progressively decreases, until a critical DO2 (DO2c) is reached below which hepatic VO2 also decreases (O2 supply dependence). Whether this decrease in VO2 represents an adaptive reduction in O2 demand or a manifestation of tissue dysoxia, i.e., O2 supply that is inadequate to support O2 demand, is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that the decrease in hepatic VO2 during O2 supply dependence represents dysoxia by evaluating hepatic mitochondrial NAD redox state during O2 supply independence and dependence induced by progressive hemorrhage in six pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs. Hepatic mitochondrial NAD redox state was estimated by measuring hepatic venous beta-hydroxybutyrate-to-acetoacetate ratio (beta OHB/AcAc). The value of DO2c was 5.02 +/- 1.64 (SD) ml.100 g-1.min-1. The beta-hydroxybutyrate-to-acetoacetate ratio was constant until a DO2 value (3.03 +/- 1.08 ml.100 g-1.min-1) was reached (P = 0.05 vs. DO2c) and then increased linearly. Peak liver lactate extraction ratio was 15.2 +/- 14.1%, occurring at a DO2 of 5.48 +/- 2.54 ml.100 g-1.min-1 (P = NS vs. DO2c). Our data support the hypothesis that the decrease in VO2 during O2 supply dependence represents tissue dysoxia.

Effect of exposure to humorous stimuli on induced depression.

In testing the hypothesis that exposure to humor may be used to relieve the symptoms of depression, 38 female undergraduates were shown depressive slides of the Velten (1968) mood statements and then assigned to one of three groups. One group heard a humorous audiotape, the second group heard a nonhumorous tape, while a third waiting control heard no tape. Heart rate and zygomatic (smile) and corrugator (frown) muscle tensions were recoreded during slide and tape presentations. The Multiple Affect Adjective Check List, administered before and after slide and tape presentations, showed depression induction was successful. Only the humor group decreased depression scores to the preexperimental baseline, although both the humor and waiting groups showed significant decreases in depression scores after the treatment. Zygomatic muscle tension was greater during the humor treatment than other treatments. Heart rate decreased across depression induction for the waiting control only, but increased during the humor and nonhumor treatments. Seven women, who were not included in the above analysis because their initial MAACL depression scores were at least one SD above the mean, showed a paradoxical decrease in depression scores after the depression induction. Implications of the results as they relate to possible interventions for depression are discussed.

Deaf versus hearing subjects' recall of words on a distraction task as a function of the signability of the words.

Subjects, including 17 deaf and 10 hearing students in Grades 11 and 12, completed a test for memory of lists of 6 words (presented visually for 10 sec.). Subjects recalled the words in writing after a distracting task of adding pairs of digits for 10 sec. Word lists are categorized as signable with a single sign, compound or combination of signs, or finger-spelling signs only. Hearing subjects recalled significantly more words in each category than did deaf subjects. Deaf subjects recalled significantly more single-signed words than either of the other two categories. Deaf subjects did not recall more compound/combination signed words than words that could only be finger-spelled. Hearing subjects also recalled significantly more single-signed words than either of the other two categories and were not superior in either of the other categories.

Depressive and elative mood inductions as a function of exaggerated versus contradictory facial expressions.

Two studies concerned the relation between facial expression cognitive induction of mood and perception of mood in women undergraduates. In Exp. 1, 20 subjects were randomly assigned to a group who were instructed in exaggerated facial expressions (Demand Group) and 20 subjects were randomly assigned to a group who were not instructed (Nondemand Group). All subjects completed a modified Velten (1968) elation- and depression-induction sequence. Ratings of depression on the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist increased during the depression condition and decreased during the elation condition. Subjects made more facial expressions in the Demand Group than the Nondemand Group from electromyogram measures of the zygomatic and corrugator muscles and from corresponding action unit measures from visual scoring using the Facial Action Scoring System. Subjects who were instructed in the Demand Group rated their depression as more severe during the depression slides than the other group. No such effect was noted during the elation condition. In Exp. 2, 16 women were randomly assigned to a group who were instructed in facial expressions contradictory to those expected on the depression and elation tasks (Contradictory Expression Group). Another 16 women were randomly assigned to a group who were given no instructions about facial expressions (Nondemand Group). All subjects completed the depression- and elation-induction sequence mentioned in Exp. 1. No differences were reported between groups on the ratings of depression (MAACL) for the depression-induction or for the elation-induction but both groups rated depression higher after the depression condition and lower after the elation condition. Electromyographic and facial action scores verified that subjects in the Contradictory Expression Group were making the requested contradictory facial expressions during the mood-induction sequences. It was concluded that the primary influence on emotion came from the cognitive mood-induction sequences. Facial expressions only seem to modify the emotion in the case of depression being exacerbated by frowning. A contradictory facial expression did not affect the rating of an emotion.

Facial electromyogram and heart-rate correlates of a paradoxical attitude change to antinuclear war information.

The effects of film images versus film descriptions of the effects of nuclear explosions (versus a no-film control) on corrugator muscle tension, heart rate, attitude and mood were investigated. The last 5 min. of the images were associated with more corrugator tension for that condition when compared to the last 5 min. of the description condition. The groups did not differ in heart rate but women in both groups showed an increase in heart rate whereas men in both groups showed a decrease in heart rate. Film groups did not differ in their significant increases in anxiety, hostility, and depression on the Multiple Adjective Affect Checklist. On the pretest there was no significant correlation between scores on Betts' Questionnaire Upon Mental Imagery and scores on Goldenring and Doctor's index of concern for nuclear war. The vivid-image film group showed a decrease in concern for nuclear war when compared to the descriptive film group and the no-film control.

Digitalis glycosides: a discussion of the similarities and differences in actions and existing controversies.

The writing of this review was initiated to answer the question of whether differences in the actions of the various digitalis glycosides exist and to discuss current controversies in the research area of the digitalis glycosides. Data obtained in our laboratory indicated that the effect of digoxin on postganglionic cardiac sympathetic neural discharge in the minute prior to the occurrence of arrhythmia differed from that of ouabain. This raised the question of whether data published in other laboratories would support the contention that differences in glycosides do exist. To answer this question, a review of the literature was begun. Our survey of these studies are cited in the tables of this review. These tables summarize the actions of glycosides in vivo and in vitro in different animal models. The reader should bear in mind that the data included within the tables do not represent an inclusive summary of all studies in the literature. For detailed review articles, the reader is referred to the following references: Gillis et al; Gillis and Quest; Roberts et al; Lathers and Roberts; Farah and Alousi; Benthe; Levitt et al; Smith and Haber; Somberg; Lee and Klaus; Mason; Schwartz. Furthermore the summary of the results for each particular study cited in the table may not, in all cases, include each finding of the published data. Nevertheless, the tables do provide a summary of data obtained in various species with different glycosides in several different areas of research, and as such, represent an abridged compendium for the research working in the field of digitalis glycosides. This review has been organized firstly to consider glycoside-induced alterations in the autonomic nervous system and, secondly, to examine their direct actions on the heart.

Facial action patterns, electromyography, and moods in response to an insoluble task as a function of sex and sex-role differences.

College students of either androgynous or sex-typed orientation were randomly assigned to either an insoluble concept-formation task or a solvable one. Posttreatment scores were compared for measures of dysphoric mood (Multiple Affect Adjective List), electromyographic responses (corrugator and zygomatic), and discrete facial responses (Facial Action Coding System). In Study 1, 18 androgynous women were compared to 16 feminine women; in Study 2, 16 androgynous men were compared to 16 masculine men. The insoluble task was associated with more corrugator activity (frowning) than the solvable task in both studies. Feminine women displayed more corrugator responses across both tasks than androgynous women. However, masculine men did not differ from androgynous men in over-all corrugator response activity. Androgynous women smiled more than feminine women on the facial action coding measure. Men subjected to the insoluble task reported significantly more anxiety, depression, and hostility. Masculine men scored higher on anxiety during the insoluble task than androgynous men, while the latter scored somewhat higher on anxiety in the other condition.

Biofeedback and relaxation effects in electromyographic biofeedback training: a methodological note.

The present study documented progressive reductions of electromyographic potentials in a biofeedback study involving instructions to 11 female and 5 male college students to both increase and decrease the feedback (and therefore the muscle tension). When only pre-experimental baselines were employed, electromyographic reductions were found with instructions to decrease the feedback. When repeated, nontreatment baseline conditions were employed as references for analysis, no electromyographic reductions were detected beyond the progressive reductions that occurred during those baselines.