The Relationship Between Resting Heart Rate Variability, Hostility, and In Vivo Aggression Among Young Adults

Hostility, as well as its behavioral manifestation (i.e., aggression), are associated with significant health problems and psychological distress. Yet, there is only limited research examining how resting autonomic nervous system activity, indexed by Heart Rate Variability (HRV), is associated with these constructs. Specifically, dampened high frequency (HF)-HRV and heightened low frequency (LF)/HF-HRV are associated with increased trait hostility and aggression, while dampened heart rate (HR) is only associated with increased trait aggression. Collectively, this suggests that dampened physiological regulation may be associated with trait hostility and aggression. However, no study has examined how resting HRV is associated with in vivo aggression or uniquely associated with trait hostility. The present study examined the relationship between hostility, anger, and aggression with resting HRV in 81-undergraduate students (55 women, mean age = 22). Trait measures were assessed using self-report questionnaires and in vivo aggression was assessed using the Taylor Aggression Paradigm. Results found that HF-HRV and LF-HRV were negatively associated with trait hostility, while only LF-HRV uniquely predicted trait hostility. Further, HR was negatively associated with unprovoked aggression, while LF/HF-HRV was positively associated with provoked aggression and greater increases in aggression when provocation increased. These findings suggest that (at least in our sample) dampened resting cardiovascular flexibility (HF-HRV and LF-HRV) may be associated with a disposition toward distrust and cynicism among young adults. Further, under-arousal (low HR) may be associated with aggression when there is no clear provocation, while heightened autonomic balance (LF/HF-HRV) may be associated with aggression in response to provocation among young adults.