Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 16, 2026

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Paradoxical response to an emotional task: trait characteristics and heart-rate dynamics
Rita Balocchi1, Maurizio Varanini, Giulia Paoletti
1a Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council , Pisa , Italy.
Abstract:
The present study evaluated the heart-rate dynamics of subjects reporting decreased (responders) or paradoxically increased relaxation (nonresponders) at the end of a threatening movie. Heart-rate dynamics were characterized by indices extracted through recurrence quantification analysis (RQA) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). These indices were studied as a function of a few individual characteristics: hypnotizability, gender, absorption, anxiety, and the activity of the behavioral inhibition and activation systems (BIS/BAS). Results showed that (a) the subjective experience of responsiveness is associated with the activity of the behavioral inhibition system and (b) a few RQA and DFA indices are able to capture the influence of cognitive-emotional traits, including hypnotizability, on the responsiveness to the threatening task.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Factors Influencing Heart Rate
Let us explore the significant factors affecting heart rate, including age, body temperature, posture, acute pain, chemical influences,...
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
Psychological Responses to Stress
Physiological Theories: Cannon-Bard Theory of Emotion
Upon perceiving a stimulus, such as a dangerous...
Physiological Theories: James-Lange Theory of Emotion
Physiology of Emotion
Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a critical role in emotional responses by regulating involuntary physiological functions. It consists of two main components: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system...

