Gender and cardiovascular responses: what is the role of hostility?

Two experiments are reported investigating hostility group by gender effects on heart rate and blood pressure. In experiment 1, 58 males and 59 females were tested with a protocol that included baseline, reaction time with and without harassment, and recovery. In experiment 2, 55 males and 50 females participated in a procedure of baseline, Stroop color--word conflict, anger recall interview, and recovery. Based on Buss-Durkee subscales, genders were divided into high and low neurotic hostility and expressed hostility groups. High expressed hostility was associated with greater diastolic reactivity to all tasks in males, but not in females. Low expressed hostility was associated with greater heart rate and systolic reactivity, specifically during the anger recall interview. High neurotic hostility in males and females was associated with greater diastolic reactivity to the anger task only, while low Neurotic hostility males had higher resting systolic pressures. These results suggest that outward expression of hostility in men may increase their coronary heart disease risk; however, results for both men and women support an association between cardiovascular reactivity and a lack of match between self-reported anger management style and task demands.