Something to gain, something to lose: the cardiovascular consequences of outcome framing

Previous findings support that cardiovascular markers of challenge/threat reflect one's relative balance of resource versus demand evaluations during task performance. We report a novel investigation of the effects of performance outcome framing (potential for gain vs. loss) on these cardiovascular markers. Before completing a test, participants learned they could gain or lose money, or neither, based on performance. Results revealed that during the test, gain and loss framings led to higher heart rate and lower pre-ejection period than no incentive, consistent with greater task engagement; gain framing led to lower total peripheral resistance and higher cardiac output than loss framing, consistent with relative challenge. Implications for challenge/threat and related research and theories are discussed.