Modifying the Trier Social Stress Test to Induce Positive Affect

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Affective Science
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Research comparing positive and negative affect is challenged by differing situational triggers and arousal levels.
• Previous attempts to create positive affective states using modified stress tests have been limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to induce positive, negative, and neutral affective states with similar situational features.
• To compare emotional and physiological responses across these induced affective states.

Main Methods:

• Adapted the speech component of the TSST to create positive, negative, and neutral affect conditions.
• Recruited 301 participants for the study.
• Measured pre-post emotion ratings, self-reported arousal, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure.

Main Results:

• The modified TSST successfully induced distinct positive and negative affective states.
• Participants in positive and negative conditions reported similar arousal levels and showed comparable changes in mean arterial pressure.
• Heart rate was higher in the negative affect condition compared to positive and neutral conditions.

Conclusions:

• The modified TSST is effective in inducing positive affect with arousal levels comparable to the traditional negative TSST.
• This validated method allows for more direct comparisons of positive and negative affect's influence on psychological outcomes.