Contributions of imagery ability to stress and relaxation

Erica Johnsen; Susan Lutgendorf

doi:10.1207/S15324796ABM2304_6

Back

Contributions of imagery ability to stress and relaxation

Journal article

Open access

Contributions of imagery ability to stress and relaxation

Erica Johnsen and Susan Lutgendorf

Annals of behavioral medicine, Vol.23(4), pp.273-281

11/2001

DOI: 10.1207/S15324796ABM2304_6

PMID: 11761344

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1207/S15324796ABM2304_6View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

This study examined the contribution of imagery ability to psychological and physiological responses to stress and relaxation. Individuals (N = 176) participated in two study sessions. In the first session, participants completed the Creative Imagination Scale and were block-randomized to a stress or relaxation condition based on imaging scores. During the second session, stress and mood were assessed before and after participants watched a stressful movie or listened to a relaxation tape. Finger temperature was monitored during the interventions. Changes in temperature and in self-reports of stress and mood indicated that the manipulations were effective. In comparison to low imagers, high imagers reported greater stress after the movie and less stress and negative affect after the relaxation tape. Imagery ability predicted neither levels of negative affect following the stress condition nor changes in positive affect or temperature during the interventions. In the stress condition, expectations of stress partially mediated the relation between imagery ability and psychological stress. In contrast, expectations of relaxation did not significantly predict responses to the relaxation intervention. These findings suggest that imagery ability is related to greater subjective responses to both stress and relaxation and that, in stressful situations, expectancies may account for some of the effects of imagery ability on perceived stress.

Medicine & Public Health

Developmental Psychology

Health Psychology

Clinical Psychology

Public Health/Gesundheitswesen

Neuropsychology

Cognitive Psychology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Contributions of imagery ability to stress and relaxation
Creators: Erica Johnsen - Department of Psychology, E11 Seashore Hall University of Iowa 52242 Iowa City IA
Susan Lutgendorf - University of Iowa Iowa City USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Annals of behavioral medicine, Vol.23(4), pp.273-281
DOI: 10.1207/S15324796ABM2304_6
PMID: 11761344
NLM abbreviation: Ann Behav Med
ISSN: 0883-6612
eISSN: 1532-4796
Publisher: Springer-Verlag; New York
Language: English
Date published: 11/2001
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Urology
Record Identifier: 9984065882002771

Metrics

15 Record Views

16 Times Cited - Web of Science