Key result
Anxiety-provoking cognitive events produced significant increases in heart rate, whereas relaxing cognitive events produced significant decreases, independent of digital heart rate feedback.
Why the study?
Do cognitive events (anxiety-provoking or relaxing instructions) and biofeedback affect heart rate?
Do cognitive events (anxiety-provoking or relaxing instructions) and biofeedback affect heart rate?
Cognitive events such as anxiety or relaxation can produce significant directional changes in heart rate comparable to biofeedback, accompanied by parallel changes in respiratory rate.
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May warrant cognitive strategies for acute HR modulation; leaves open comparative efficacy versus biofeedback in clinical populations.
McCanne et al. (1980) studied this question. Anxiety-provoking cognitive events vs. Relaxing cognitive events was evaluated on Changes in heart rate. Anxiety-provoking cognitive events produced significant increases in heart rate, whereas relaxing cognitive events produced significant decreases, independent of digital heart rate feedback.
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