Trait dominance is associated with vascular cardiovascular responses, and attenuated habituation, to social stress

Both exaggerated and diminished levels of cardiovascular reactivity have been associated with cardiovascular ill health. Dysregulation of hemodynamic mechanisms which control cardiovascular functioning may account for some individual differences in health outcomes. Trait dominance has also been associated with poor cardiovascular health in studies of humans and animals. The current study investigated the relationship between trait dominance and cardiovascular habituation to repeated social stress in humans. Forty-seven undergraduate women completed two consecutive speech tasks, preceded by a baseline period, and separated by an inter-task resting phase. Continuous cardiovascular functioning was monitored using the Finometer device. The trait dominance subscale of the Jackson Personality Research Form was completed. Mixed ANCOVA with trait dominance revealed a significant 3 (dominance) × 4 (phase) interaction for total peripheral resistance (TPR), such that TPR varied across experimental phases and was associated with trait dominance, F(1, 43)=12.88, p=.001, partial η(2)=.23. Further mixed ANCOVA for TPR reactivity to Exposures 1 and 2 revealed a significant 3 × 2 interaction with trait dominance, F(2, 40)=7.77, p=.001, partial η(2)=.28, such that higher dominance was associated with attenuated TPR habituation to Exposure 2. Trait dominance was significantly associated with vascular-oriented cardiovascular functioning, and with attenuated habituation to social stress. Vascular-dominated stress responses have in some instances been associated with ill-health, suggesting that a failure to habituate to stress, and a vascular response style could reflect potential mechanisms through which dominance is associated with poor future cardiovascular health.