Blood pressure responses and incentive appraisals as a function of perceived ability and objective task demand

This experiment examined the role perceptions of ability may play in determining the impact of task demand on cardiovascular responses indicative of active coping. Subjects first performed a scanning task and received feedback indicating that they had either low or high scanning ability. They then were presented with the opportunity to earn one of two incentives by attaining either an objectively low or objectively high standard of performance on a second scanning task. Immediately prior to and during the 1-min performance period, systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses were greater in the difficult standard condition than in the easy standard condition for those who received high-ability feedback but were somewhat diminished in the difficult standard condition as compared with the easy standard condition for those who received low-ability feedback. Whereas high-ability subjects tended to have less pronounced pressor responses than did low-ability subjects when the second task was objectively easy, they had more pronounced pressor responses than low-ability subjects when the second task was objectively difficult. Analysis of goal attractiveness ratings obtained just prior to task performance showed a general correspondence between subjects' anticipatory blood pressure responses and their appraisals of the incentives. Implications for several lines of investigation are discussed.