Logo VU-AMS
Logo VU-AMS
Get in contact
Go Back

Cardiovascular reactivity and resistance to opposing viewpoints during intragroup conflict

Authors:
Daan Scheepers, Frank R. C. de Wit, Karen A. Jehn
Publication date:
2012
Journal/Publication:
Psychophysiology
Tags:
Anxiety Cardiac output Conflict heart rate Threat Total peripheral resistance

Abstract

This study examined how the outcomes of joint decision making relate to cardiovascular reactions when group members disagree about the decision to be taken. A conflict was experimentally induced during a joint decision-making task, while cardiovascular markers of challenge/threat motivational states were assessed following the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat (BPSM; J. Blascovich, ). Results show that individuals were less likely to adjust their initially preferred decision alternative the more they exhibited a cardiovascular pattern indicative of threat (i.e., relatively high total peripheral resistance and low cardiac output) compared to challenge. This finding extends the BPSM by showing a link between threat and rigidity, and emphasizes the importance of psychophysiological processes for studying intragroup conflict and decision making.