Momentary autonomic engagement during parent-adolescent conflict: Coping as a moderator of associations with emotions.

Regulatory efforts are hypothesized to affect associations between emotions and physiology (i.e., concordance) to facilitate adaptive functioning. Assessing the role of coping on physiological-emotional concordance during ecologically relevant scenarios can elucidate whether concordance can serve as a biomarker of risk or resilience. The present study assessed self-reported coping as a moderator of minute-to-minute associations between autonomic nervous system activity and emotions (i.e., physiological-emotional concordance) in caregivers (N = 97) and adolescents (N = 97; ages 10-15) during a dyadic conflict task. Models included physiological variables (sympathetic, skin conductance level [SCL]; and parasympathetic, respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) and their interaction (SCL × RSA) as predictors of emotions, with coping variables as moderators. Caregivers' use of primary control coping (e.g., problem solving and emotional expression) and secondary control coping (e.g., cognitive reappraisal and acceptance) use in response to family stress predicted more positive emotional experiences during the laboratory conflict task. Adolescents' use of secondary control coping moderated the SCL-emotion association, such that increases in momentary SCL were associated with more positive emotion ratings for youth reporting higher secondary control coping. For youth who report more adaptive trait-level coping skills, momentary changes in SCL may reflect active engagement and attentiveness to facilitate more positive emotional experiences. Findings advance our understanding of the interrelationships between physiological responses and psychological experiences during relevant, interactive scenarios. Autonomic responses are differentially related to affective states depending on the coping strategies that adolescents employ, suggesting that concordance may be associated with intervention targets (i.e., coping skills).

Genital and Subjective Sexual Arousal in Androphilic Women and Gynephilic Men in Response to the Copulatory Movements of Different Animal Species.

Research has repeatedly shown marked differences in men's and women's sexual response patterns; genital response in men tends to be elicited by cues that correspond to their sexual preference (preferred gender), while women's genital response is less sensitive to gender cues and more sensitive to the presence and intensity of other sexual cues (e.g., sexual activities). We tested whether the cue of copulatory movement in a general sexual context elicited a genital response in androphilic women but not in gynephilic men. If so, women should react to stimuli depicting not only the non-preferred gender but also other animal species differing in phylogenetic distance to humans. We studied the genital and self-reported arousal of 30 gynephilic men and 28 androphilic women to two sexual videos depicting penetrative human sexual intercourse (female-male and female-female) and nine videos depicting animal copulation. Neither women nor men showed genital or subjective sexual arousal to non-human sexual stimuli. Moreover, both sexes demonstrated a highly cue-specific pattern of arousal. Our results suggest that copulatory movement displayed in non-human species is not a sexual cue that can elicit genital or subjective sexual arousal in humans.

Brain mechanisms underlying the modulation of heart rate variability when accepting and reappraising emotions.

Heart rate variability (HRV) has been linked to resilience and emotion regulation (ER). How HRV and brain processing interact during ER, however, has remained elusive. Sixty-two subjects completed the acquisition of resting HRV and task HRV while performing an ER functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) paradigm, which included the differential strategies of ER reappraisal and acceptance in the context of viewing aversive pictures. We found high correlations of resting and task HRV across all emotion regulation strategies. Furthermore, individuals with high levels of resting, but not task, HRV showed numerically lower distress during ER with acceptance. Whole-brain fMRI parametrical modulation analyses revealed that higher task HRV covaried with dorso-medial prefrontal activation for reappraisal, and dorso-medial prefrontal, anterior cingulate and temporo-parietal junction activation for acceptance. Subjects with high resting HRV, compared to subjects with low resting HRV, showed higher activation in the pre-supplementary motor area during ER using a region of interest approach. This study demonstrates that while resting and task HRV exhibit a positive correlation, resting HRV seems to be a better predictor of ER capacity. Resting and task HRV were associated with ER brain activation in mid-line frontal cortex (i.e. DMPFC).

Psychophysiologic symptom relief therapy for chronic back pain: hypothesis and trial rationale.

Chronic pain syndromes affect over one-third of the US adult population and often lead to significant disability and a reduced quality of life. Despite their high prevalence, causal links between chronic pain syndromes and anatomic abnormalities are often not apparent. Most current chronic pain treatments provide modest, if any, relief. Thus, there is a pressing need to understand the causal mechanisms implicated in chronic pain as a means to develop more targeted interventions for improvement in clinical outcomes and reduction in morbidity and financial burden. In the present manuscript, we summarize the current literature on treatment for chronic pain, and hypothesize that non-specific chronic back pain (without a clear organic etiology, such as tumors, infections or fractures) is of psychophysiologic origin. Based on this hypothesis, we developed Psychophysiologic Symptom Relief Therapy (PSRT), a novel pain reduction intervention for understanding and treating chronic pain. In this manuscript, we provide the rationale for PSRT, which we have tested in a pilot trial with a subsequent larger randomized trial underway. In the proposed trial, we will evaluate whether non-specific chronic back pain can be treated by addressing the underlying stressors and psychological underpinnings without specific physical interventions.

Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Targeting the Amygdala May Increase Psychophysiological and Subjective Negative Emotional Reactivity in Healthy Older Adults.

Background: The amygdala is highly implicated in an array of psychiatric disorders but is not accessible using currently available noninvasive neuromodulatory techniques. Low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (TFUS) is a neuromodulatory technique that has the capability of reaching subcortical regions noninvasively. Methods: We studied healthy older adult participants (N = 21, ages 48-79 years) who received TFUS targeting the right amygdala and left entorhinal cortex (active control region) using a 2-visit within-participant crossover design. Before and after TFUS, behavioral measures were collected via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and an emotional reactivity and regulation task utilizing neutral and negatively valenced images from the International Affective Picture System. Heart rate and self-reported emotional valence and arousal were measured during the emotional reactivity and regulation task to investigate subjective and physiological responses to the task. Results: Significant increases in both self-reported arousal in response to negative images and heart rate during emotional reactivity and regulation task intertrial intervals were observed when TFUS targeted the amygdala; these changes were not evident when the entorhinal cortex was targeted. No significant changes were found for state anxiety, self-reported valence to the negative images, cardiac response to the negative images, or emotion regulation. Conclusions: The results of this study provide preliminary evidence that a single session of TFUS targeting the amygdala may alter psychophysiological and subjective emotional responses, indicating some potential for future neuropsychiatric applications. However, more work on TFUS parameters and targeting optimization is necessary to determine how to elicit changes in a more clinically advantageous way.

Transcranial focused ultrasound (TFUS) is an emerging brain stimulation technique with the ability to noninvasively alter the activity of deep brain regions. Studying the potential for TFUS to alter behavioral response and processing, this study employed MRI-guided TFUS targeting the right amygdala in older adults. We found that TFUS targeting the right amygdala increased self-reported arousal in response to negative images, providing preliminary evidence that a single session of TFUS may be capable of affecting emotional reactivity.

Effects of caffeine intake on pupillary parameters in humans: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Caffeine is a widely used drug that broadly affects human cognition and brain function. Caffeine acts as an antagonist to the adenosine receptors in the brain. Previous anecdotal reports have also linked caffeine intake with changes in pupil diameter. By modifying the retinal irradiance, pupil diameter modulates all ocular light exposure relevant for visual (i.e., perception, detection and discrimination of visual stimuli) and non-visual (i.e., circadian) functions. To date, the extent of the influence of caffeine on pupillary outcomes, including pupil diameter, has not been examined in a systematic review. We implemented a systematic review laid out in a pre-registered protocol following PRISMA-P guidelines. We only included original research articles written in English reporting studies with human participants, in which caffeine was administered, and pupil diameter was measured using objective methods. Using broad search strategies, we consulted various databases (PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, bioRxiv and medRxiv) and used the Covidence platform to screen, review and extract data from studies. After importing studies identified through database search (n = 517 imported, n = 46 duplicates), we screened the title and abstracts (n = 471), finding 14 studies meeting our eligibility criteria. After full-text review, we excluded seven studies, leaving only a very modest number of included studies (n = 7). Extraction of information revealed that the existing literature on the effect of caffeine on pupil parameters is very heterogeneous, differing in pupil assessment methods, time of day of caffeine administration, dose, and protocol timing and design. The evidence available in the literature does not provide consistent results but studies rated as valid by quality assessment suggest a small effect of caffeine on pupil parameters. We summarize the numeric results as both differences in absolute pupil diameter and in terms of effect sizes. More studies are needed using modern pupil assessment methods, robust study design, and caffeine dose-response methodology.

Culture and Awe: Understanding Awe as a Mixed Emotion.

Recent work is establishing awe as an important positive emotion that offers physical and psychological benefits. However, early theorizing suggests that awe's experience is often tinged with fear. How then, do we reconcile emergent positive conceptualizations of awe with its more fearful elements? We suggest that positive conceptualizations of awe may partially reflect modern Western experiences of this emotion, which make up the majority of participant samples when studying awe. To test whether awe contains more fearful qualities outside of Western cultures, we compared participants' experiences of this emotion in China to those in the United States. In a two-week daily diary study (Study 1), Chinese participants reported greater fear than American participants during experiences of awe, but not a comparison positive emotion. In response to a standardized awe induction (Study 2), Chinese participants reported more fear, whereas American participants reported more positive emotions. Physiological changes in autonomic activity differed by culture only for heart rate, but not skin conductance or respiratory sinus arrhythmia. These findings reveal that awe may be experienced as a more fearful, mixed emotion in China than in the United States and suggest that current positive conceptualizations of awe may reflect a disproportionate reliance on modern Western samples. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42761-024-00243-3.

A Framework for Selecting and Assessing Wearable Sensors Deployed in Safety Critical Scenarios.

Wearable sensors for psychophysiological monitoring are becoming increasingly mainstream in safety critical contexts. They offer a novel solution to capturing sub-optimal states and can help identify when workers in safety critical environments are suffering from states such as fatigue and stress. However, sensors can differ widely in their application, design, usability, and measurement and there is a lack of guidance on what should be prioritized or considered when selecting a sensor. The paper aims to highlight which concepts are important when creating or selecting a device regarding the optimization of both measurement and usability. Additionally, the paper discusses how design choices can enhance both the usability and measurement capabilities of wearable sensors. The hopes are that this paper will provide researchers and practitioners in human factors and related fields with a framework to help guide them in building and selecting wearable sensors that are well suited for deployment in safety critical contexts.

Adult attachment assessed via the ASA and AAI: Empirical convergence and links with autonomic physiological responding during attachment assessments.

This study examined the empirical convergence of Attachment Script Assessment (ASA) deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous scripts with conceptually corresponding attachment patterns assessed via the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), and the significance of ASA dimensions for autonomic physiological reactivity during adult attachment assessments. Young adults' (50% male; Mage = 19 years; 80% White/European American) ASA deactivation, hyperactivation, and anomalous content were significantly associated with AAI dismissing (r = .26-.38), preoccupied (r = .31-.35), and unresolved (r = .37) states of mind, respectively. ASA hyperactivation and anomalous content were associated with heightened RSA reactivity to the AAI and ASA, aligning with expectations that these attachment patterns capture the tendency to heighten expressions of negative, traumatic experiences. ASA deactivation was associated with smaller increases in electrodermal activity to the ASA-indicative of less sympathetic arousal-converging with the tendency of individuals higher in deactivation to avoid discussing attachment themes in the ASA.

Advances in the study of the relationship between gut microbiota and erectile dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, in-depth research has revealed that gut microbiota has an inseparable relationship with erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. OBJECTIVES: (1) To review the correlation between gut microbiota and ED from the perspective of its impact on men's mental health, metabolism, immunity, and endocrine regulation and (2) to provide reference to further explore the pathogenesis of ED and the improvement of clinical treatment plans. METHODS: PubMed was used for the literature search to identify publications related to ED and gut microbiota. RESULTS: Gut microbiota may induce depression and anxiety through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, leading to the occurrence of psychological ED. It may also cause vascular endothelial dysfunction and androgen metabolism disorder by interfering with lipid metabolism, immunity, and endocrine regulation, leading to the occurrence of organic ED. CONCLUSION: Gut microbiota and its metabolites play an important role in the occurrence and development of ED. As a new influencing factor of ED, gut microbiota disorder is expected to become a target for treatment.

Observers predict actions from facial emotional expressions during real-time social interactions.

In face-to-face social interactions, emotional expressions provide insights into the mental state of an interactive partner. This information can be crucial to infer action intentions and react towards another person's actions. Here we investigate how facial emotional expressions impact subjective experience and physiological and behavioral responses to social actions during real-time interactions. Thirty-two participants interacted with virtual agents while fully immersed in Virtual Reality. Agents displayed an angry or happy facial expression before they directed an appetitive (fist bump) or aversive (punch) social action towards the participant. Participants responded to these actions, either by reciprocating the fist bump or by defending the punch. For all interactions, subjective experience was measured using ratings. In addition, physiological responses (electrodermal activity, electrocardiogram) and participants' response times were recorded. Aversive actions were judged to be more arousing and less pleasant relative to appetitive actions. In addition, angry expressions increased heart rate relative to happy expressions. Crucially, interaction effects between facial emotional expression and action were observed. Angry expressions reduced pleasantness stronger for appetitive compared to aversive actions. Furthermore, skin conductance responses to aversive actions were increased for happy compared to angry expressions and reaction times were faster to aversive compared to appetitive actions when agents showed an angry expression. These results indicate that observers used facial emotional expression to generate expectations for particular actions. Consequently, the present study demonstrates that observers integrate information from facial emotional expressions with actions during social interactions.

Emotion dysregulation in nonsuicidal self-injury: Dissociations between global self-reports and real-time responses to emotional challenge.

INTRODUCTION: Prominent theories of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) propose that the behaviour is characterised by amplified emotional responses. However, little is known about how people who self-injure respond during emotional challenge. METHODS: We measured subjective and physiological responding (heart rate, heart rate variability, and electrodermal responding) among young adults with past-year NSSI (n = 51) and those with no lifetime NSSI (n = 50) during a resting baseline, a stress induction, and a post-stress resting phase. Participants reported the extent to which they spontaneously used cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression during the post-stress phase. Two weeks later, a subset of the sample (n = 42) reported how they remembered feeling during the laboratory session. RESULTS: Although the NSSI group reported considerably greater emotion dysregulation than Controls, both groups showed similar subjective and psychological reactivity to, and recovery from, emotional challenge. Both groups used reappraisal and suppression regulation strategies following acute stress to a similar extent, and later came to remember the emotional challenge in a similar manner. LIMITATIONS: Within the NSSI group, past-year self-injury tended to be infrequent and sporadic. Only 43.6% of the sample participated in the follow-up survey assessing memory of emotional challenge. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate that the role of emotion in NSSI is more complex than prominent theories can account for, raising substantial questions regarding the nature of emotion in NSSI. A more comprehensive understanding of the role of emotion in NSSI is needed to inform intervention strategies to better support people who self-injure.

Effects of different natural soundscapes on human psychophysiology in national forest park.

Most of the current soundscape research content is limited to the discussion of the restoration effect of single-element soundscapes, but it is the combination of sounds that is common in outdoor activities, and there is no evidence that the restoration of natural soundscapes is better with multi-element combinations. In this study, the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in China was used as the research object, and the physiological indices of the subjects were collected through electroencephalogram signals, and the POMS short-form psychological scale was used to understand the subjective psychological responses of the subjects to the soundscape. The results showed that (1) The psychophysiological restorative ability of the natural soundscape of the National Forest Park was confirmed, and the subjects' psychological and physiological indices changed significantly and positively after listening to each section of the natural soundscape (p = 0.001). (2) The restorative effect of the multi-natural sound combination was ranked first in the overall ranking of the five natural soundscapes, and the multi-natural sound combination did indeed provide better restorative effects than the single-element sounds. (3) Gender does not usually have a significant effect on the restoration effect, and only Windy Sound among the four single-element nature sound landscapes and one multi-element combination of nature sound landscapes showed a significant gender difference, so in general, the effect of gender on the restoration effect of nature sound landscapes is not significant. In terms of research methodology, this study used cluster analysis to cluster the five types of natural soundscapes according to psychological and physiological recovery ability, and used ridge regression to construct mathematical models of the psychological and physiological recovery of each of the four natural soundscapes. The study of human physiological and psychological recovery from different types of natural soundscapes in China's national forest parks will provide a basis for soundscape planning, design, and policy formulation in national forest parks.

Effects of Different Visual Flow Velocities on Psychophysiological Responses During Virtual Reality Cycling.

INTRODUCTION: Virtual reality cycling (VRC) is simulated outdoor cycling with changes in scenery in virtual reality (VR) with rotating ergometer pedals. The speed at which the scenery changes, which is the visual flow velocity, can shift according to the same pedal rotation speed. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effects of different visual flow velocities on the psychophysiological responses of cyclists using the VRC. METHODS: Participants were asked to cycle for 20 min at 30% of their maximum exercise load under four conditions: (1) bicycle ergometer without VR (control), (2) VRC at normal visual flow velocity (VRC-normal), (3) VRC at 0.5 times the visual flow velocity of VRC-normal (VRC-slow), and (4) VRC at 1.5 times the visual flow velocity of VRC-normal (VRC-fast). The order of the four conditions was randomized in a counterbalanced design. The heart rate and rating of perceived exertion were recorded during the exercise. Participants graded their enjoyment of the task using the physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES). The measured data were analyzed by comparing the visual flow velocity conditions (VRC-slow, VRC-normal, and VRC-fast), and comparing the VRC and bicycle ergometer (VRC-normal and control). RESULTS: A total of 24 participants were enrolled in the study. There was a significant main effect observed in the PACES score (F(2,46)=20.129, p<0.001, partial η2=0.467). In the post-hoc test for the PACES, significant differences were found in the following combinations: VRC-normal > VRC-slow (p=0.005); VRC-fast > VRC-normal (p=0.003); and VRC-fast > VRC-slow (p<0.001). In the modified Borg scale for lower-limb fatigue, there were significant differences in time factor (F(2,46)=134.048, p<0.001, partial η2=0.854) and interaction effects (F(4,92)=3.156, p=0.018, partial η2=0.121). In the post-hoc test for the modified Borg scale, significant trends were found in the following combinations: VRC-normal > VRC-fast (p=0.068) and VRC-slow > VRC-fast (p=0.083). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that a slower visual flow velocity may reduce the enjoyment of exercise, whereas a faster visual flow velocity may make the exercise feel less fatigued and more enjoyable.

Effectiveness of labels in digital art experience: psychophysiological and behavioral evidence.

Introduction: Nowadays museums make large use of digital materials (e.g., virtual tours) to attract visitors. Therefore, it is worthwhile investigating which variables affect the engagement with art outside the museum, and whether digital reproductions of artworks are as effective as museum originals in producing a satisfying aesthetic experience. Methods: Here we tested the effectiveness of introducing additional informative materials on the artistic enjoyment of contemporary paintings presented on a computer screen. Naïve observers were exposed to essential and descriptive labels before viewing artworks. We flanked traditional measurement methods - viewing times and questionnaires, with biometric parameters - pupil responses, eye movements, heart rate, and electrodermal activity. The results were then compared to our previous museum study that adopted the same experimental paradigm. Results: Our behavioral and psychophysiological data lead to a complex pattern of results. As found in the museum setting, providing detailed descriptions decreases complexity, evokes more positive sensations, and induces pupil dilation but does not enhance aesthetic appreciation. These results suggested that informative labels improve understanding and emotions but have a limited impact on the hedonic evaluation of artworks in both contexts. However, other results do not mirror those found in the museum; in the laboratory setting, participants spend a similar amount of time, have a comparable gaze behavior, and their electrodermal activity and heart rate do not change when viewing artworks with different types of labels. The main difference between the lab and museum settings is the shorter time spent viewing digital reproductions vs. real paintings, although subjective ratings (e.g., liking, interest) are comparable. Discussion: Overall, this study indicates that the environmental context does impact the aesthetic experience; although, some beneficial effects of introducing additional relevant content in labels accompanying artworks can also be acquainted through digital media outside of the museum.

Approaches to studying emotion using physiological responses to spoken narratives: A scoping review.

Narratives are effective tools for evoking emotions, and physiological measurements provide a means of objectively assessing emotional reactions - making them a potentially powerful pair of tools for studying emotional processes. However, extent research combining emotional narratives and physiological measurement varies widely in design and application, making it challenging to identify previous work, consolidate findings, and design effective experiments. Our scoping review explores the use of auditory emotional narratives and physiological measures in research, examining paradigms, study populations, and represented emotions. Following the PRISMA-ScR Checklist, we searched five databases for peer-reviewed experimental studies that used spoken narratives to induce emotion and reported autonomic physiological measures. Among 3466 titles screened and 653 articles reviewed, 110 studies were included. Our exploration revealed a variety of applications and experimental paradigms; emotional narratives paired with physiological measures have been used to study diverse topics and populations, including neurotypical and clinical groups. Although incomparable designs and sometimes contradictory results precluded general recommendations as regards which physiological measures to use when designing new studies, as a whole, the body of work suggests that these tools can be valuable to study emotions. Our review offers an overview of research employing narratives and physiological measures for emotion study, and highlights weaknesses in reporting practices and gaps in our knowledge concerning the robustness and specificity of physiological measures as indices of emotion. We discuss study design considerations and transparent reporting, to facilitate future using emotional narratives and physiological measures in studying emotions.

Psycho-physio-neurological correlates of qualitative attention, emotion and flow experiences in a close-to-real-life extreme sports situation: low- and high-altitude slackline walking.

It has been indicated that extreme sport activities result in a highly rewarding experience, despite also providing fear, stress and anxiety. Studies have related this experience to the concept of flow, a positive feeling that individuals undergo when they are completely immersed in an activity. However, little is known about the exact nature of these experiences, and, there are still no empirical results to characterize the brain dynamics during extreme sport practice. This work aimed at investigating changes in psychological responses while recording physiological (heart rate-HR, and breathing rate-BR) and neural (electroencephalographic-EEG) data of eight volunteers, during outdoors slackline walking in a mountainous environment at two different altitude conditions (1 m-low-walk- and 45 m-high-walk-from the ground). Low-walk showed a higher score on flow scale, while high-walk displayed a higher score in the negative affect aspects, which together point to some level of flow restriction during high-walk. The order of task performance was shown to be relevant for the physiological and neural variables. The brain behavior during flow, mainly considering attention networks, displayed the stimulus-driven ventral attention network-VAN, regionally prevailing (mainly at the frontal lobe), over the goal-directed dorsal attention network-DAN. Therefore, we suggest an interpretation of flow experiences as an opened attention to more changing details in the surroundings, i.e., configured as a 'task-constantly-opened-to-subtle-information experience', rather than a 'task-focused experience'.

Psychophysiological wellbeing in a class of dental students attending dental school: anxiety, burnout, post work executive performance and a 24 hours physiological investigation during a working day.

Aim: To the best of our knowledge, dental school students have never been evaluated for stress, anxiety, burnout, physiological indexes during a 24-h working day, and executive function performance post-work and post-work after returning from vacation; therefore, this research has been conducted. Methods: Data were acquired at the Dental School of the University of Padua on 16 students in their 4th year, far from the exam session. While performing clinical activity on the dental chair and during a working day, electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate variability (HRV), and heart rate (HR) were recorded. Participants' stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10 scale) and anxiety with the General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y-2), while burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS). Executive functions were evaluated using the Tower of London test (TOL-R). Results: Three students (2F/1M) had a GAD-7 score ≥ 10. Five students (4F/1M) showed trait anxiety. Moderate levels of perceived stress were reported in 85% of participants. MBI-HSS showed that 7 participants scored high on emotional exhaustion and 7 on depersonalization. TOL-R performance (M = 15.85, SD = 4.01) was below the normative value p < 0.00001. A second test, after the holidays, showed normal values. EDA was higher during children's treatment (p < 0.05), ANOVA showed high HR during working time (p < 0.001), and HRV was higher in males (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Based on the sample size evaluated, it is reported that being a dental student has a moderate impact on stress, anxiety, and burnout while a strong impact on executive functions buffered by rest.

The Use of a Just Noticeable Difference Approach to Improve Perceptual Acuity Ability in Male Runners.

We were interested in micro-variations in an athlete's psychophysical state that separate peak exertion from physiological collapse. Thus, we measured perceptual acuity in runners using a classic psychophysical approach, the just noticeable difference (JND) on two standard stimuli runs at treadmill speed corresponding to 70%VO2max and 80%VO2max. Thirty-four male runners (M age = 35.26, SD = 7.33 years) first performed a maximal treadmill test to determine the speed of a standard exercise bout for the JND trials. The JND trials consisted of four 5-minute running bouts on a treadmill with 5-minute rests between bouts. For bouts 1 and 3, participants ran at the standard stimuli pace, but for bouts 2 and 4, they adjusted their speeds to achieve a level of exertion at a JND above/below the SS. They achieved differences in the final 30 seconds of the VO2 between each JND bout and the previous standard stimuli at just above (JND-A) and just below (JND-B) the JND perceived exertions. We used a Generalized Linear Model analysis to compare the JND-A and JND-B within and between ventilatory threshold groups (lower/higher) in absolute and relative VO2 and in terms of the total JND magnitude. The magnitude of JND-A was greater than that of JND-B at 70%VO2max and 80%VO2max in absolute units (70%VO2 Δ = 2.62; SE = 0.37; p < .001; 80%VO2 Δ = 1.67; SE = 0.44; p = .002) and in relative units (70%VO2max Δ = 4.70; SE = 0.66; p < .001; 80%VO2max Δ = 2.96; SE = 0.80; p = .002). The total magnitude was greater in the 70%VO2max trial than 80%VO2max in absolute units (70%VO2 M = 3.78, SE = 0.31 mL·kg-1·min-1; 80%VO2 M = 2.62, SE = 0.37 mL·kg-1·min-1; p = .020) and in relative units (70%VO2max M = 6.57, SE = 0.53%VO2max; 80%VO2max M = 4.71, SE = 0.64%VO2max; p = .030). The JND range narrowed when physiologic demand increased, for both physical (speed) and psychological (RPE) variables.

Which emotion regulation strategy is efficient for whom? Reappraisal and suppression efficiency for adaptive and maladaptive personality profiles.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the efficiency of different emotion regulation strategies, specifically reappraisal and suppression, in relation to adaptive and maladaptive personality profiles. BACKGROUND: Personality conditions emotions and influences emotion regulation. Of the available regulation strategies, reappraisal (reinterpreting the situation) is described as an efficient strategy, whereas suppression (not displaying the experienced emotion) carries higher physiological and cognitive costs. Little is known, however, about the influence of personality on these efficiencies. METHOD: We tested the personality structure of 102 participants (Meanage = 20.75, SDage = 2.15), based on the Five-Factor Model and the Maladaptive Personality Trait Model. Experience, expressivity, and physiological arousal were recorded during the viewing of emotionally charged positive and negative images while participants reappraised, suppressed, or viewed the images without regulating their emotions. RESULTS: We identified two clusters for adaptive personality ("Adaptive Resilient" and "Anti-resilient") and two for maladaptive personality ("Maladaptive Resilient" and "Under-controlled"). The major finding was for emotional experience in maladaptive personalities, where reappraisal was efficient in the Maladaptive Resilient profile, while none of the strategies brought relief in the Under-controlled profile. CONCLUSION: This study, which systematically contrasts personality and efficiency of emotion regulation strategies, is one of the first attempts to refine the understanding of how personality influences the emotional regulation process.