Assessment of cardiovascular reactivity across laboratory and natural settings

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the stability of heart rate and blood pressure reactions of individuals across laboratory challenges and a challenge in the natural environment. Undergraduate musicians' heart rates and blood pressures were measured during anticipation and in response to a mental arithmetic challenge and a visual-verbal concepts challenge in the laboratory and anticipation of a musical performance jury in the natural environment. Results revealed that systolic blood pressure reactivity measured in anticipation of laboratory challenges, but not during these tasks, was related to systolic blood pressure levels measured in anticipation to the musical performance jury. Generalization of heart rate and diastolic blood pressure reactivity across settings was not supported. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate reactions were stable across laboratory tasks.