FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-68/17

Title and Subtitle: The effects of cognitive appraisal of stress on heart rate and task performance

Report Date: September 1968

Authors: Thackray RI, Pearson DW

Abstract: In aviation occupations, performance impairment under stress conditions is particularly undesirable. However, individuals may show differing amounts of impairment under stress, and the reasons for these differences are not clear. The present study explored the extent to which individual differences in previously expressed fear of a specific stress condition related to heart rate change and performance impairment under this stressor. Threat of shock was employed as the stressor since it tends to elicit the fear response characteristic of many types of stress situations.

Twenty-four high fear of shock and an equal number of low fear of shock subjects were given 15 training trials on a conventional pursuit rotor. Following training one third of the subjects were informed that during subsequent trials shock would be administered if performance fell below training levels, one third were told that shock would be randomly administered, and the remaining third served as a control. No shocks were actually administered. High fear of shock subjects revealed significantly greater heart rate acceleration and performance impairment, but only under the condition in which the subjects were told that receipt of shock would be contingent on prior performance level.

Key Words: Heart, stress, performance, fear, psychological tests, pulse rate, motor reactions, humans

No. of Pages: 7