Abstract
Using the Bimodal theory of violence, aggression can be dissected into two distinct modes: affective violence and callous-unemotional violence (i.e. predatory violence) where the aggressor is physiologically “under-aroused” (Tulogdi, et al., 2012). These individuals also demonstrate sensation seeking behaviors as a way of increasing arousal. Combined, this suggests that sensation seeking behavior can serve marker of aggression and physiological under-arousal (Wilson and Scarpa, 2011). In order to test this idea, we examined the extent to which sensation seeking behavior was associated with physiological and self-report responses to acute stress (the cold pressor test, CPT). We found that sensation seeking behavior is associated with self-reported aggression and some measures of low physiological arousal. In particular, we found a positive correlation between self-reported aggression and sensation seeking behavior (p< 0.05). In addition, S-IgA, a marker of immune functioning and stress level, is negatively correlated with sensation seeking behavior before (p< 0.05) and 1 min after (p< 0.05) the CPT stress. High aggression is related to low baseline and post-stress cortisol levels (p< 0.05). Finally, sensation seeking behavior was negatively correlated with self-reported pain perception of the CPT stressor at three different time-points: 1 minute before the CPT (anticipated pain), during the CPT (experienced pain), and 20 minutes after the CPT (recalled pain) (all p’s < 0.05). Combined, these findings suggest that both aggression and SS are related to low physiological arousal, but that aggression is associated with low HPA axis activity while sensation seeking appears to involve SNS mechanisms.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Tom Fagan, Jessica Garcia-Brown, Dr. Jaime L. Tartar
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-4-2014 1:00 PM
End Date
4-4-2014 5:30 PM
Sensation Seeking Behavior and Aggression: Predictors of Low Physiological Arousal Under Stress
Alvin Sherman Library
Using the Bimodal theory of violence, aggression can be dissected into two distinct modes: affective violence and callous-unemotional violence (i.e. predatory violence) where the aggressor is physiologically “under-aroused” (Tulogdi, et al., 2012). These individuals also demonstrate sensation seeking behaviors as a way of increasing arousal. Combined, this suggests that sensation seeking behavior can serve marker of aggression and physiological under-arousal (Wilson and Scarpa, 2011). In order to test this idea, we examined the extent to which sensation seeking behavior was associated with physiological and self-report responses to acute stress (the cold pressor test, CPT). We found that sensation seeking behavior is associated with self-reported aggression and some measures of low physiological arousal. In particular, we found a positive correlation between self-reported aggression and sensation seeking behavior (p< 0.05). In addition, S-IgA, a marker of immune functioning and stress level, is negatively correlated with sensation seeking behavior before (p< 0.05) and 1 min after (p< 0.05) the CPT stress. High aggression is related to low baseline and post-stress cortisol levels (p< 0.05). Finally, sensation seeking behavior was negatively correlated with self-reported pain perception of the CPT stressor at three different time-points: 1 minute before the CPT (anticipated pain), during the CPT (experienced pain), and 20 minutes after the CPT (recalled pain) (all p’s < 0.05). Combined, these findings suggest that both aggression and SS are related to low physiological arousal, but that aggression is associated with low HPA axis activity while sensation seeking appears to involve SNS mechanisms.
