Feedback in pulse rate change and divergent affective reactions for high and low sensation-seekers

The present investigation examined the relationship between affect and pulse rate (PR) change for individuals with different sensation-seeking preferences. Based on their scores on the Sensation-Seeking Scale (Zuckerman, Kolin, Price, & Zoob, 1964), high (HSS) and low (LSS) sensation-seekers were assigned randomly to either 40 minutes of feedback or nofeedback in PR. Subjects were instructed either to decrease or to increase PR. Measures of affect were administered after the 40-minute period. The results indicated that while feedback caused subjects to change PR in either direction, HSS subjects were more successful at increasing, while LSS subjects were more successful at decreasing. Moreover, negative affect resulted only when HSS subjects decreased and LSS subjects increased PR. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of considering individual differences in preference for activation in order to clarify the relationship between physiological and affective responses.