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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

depressive rumination, psychometic analysis, heart rate

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Steven Calder, Doug Marchant, and I have been studying depressive rumination for over a year and a half. Our first study was similar in content to the current study; however, because of our two ORCA grants, the current study is much more sophisticated. Depressive rumination is the consistent recycling of negative thoughts. Researchers have begun to examine the consequences of depressive rumination on cognition and daily functioning. The effect of mild-to-moderate stressors on heart rate and other physiological responses is an important measure of daily functioning, but to date only a single study has addressed the relationship between rumination, heart rate, and blood pressure. In this study, normal individuals were manipulated into ruminative states, and response to stressors was not studied. In our study, we identified high and low ruminators, subjected them to mild stressors, and measured their heart rates before, during, and after the stressors. We also measured our participants’ subjective anxiety self report before, during, and after the stressors. Our hypothesis is that individuals who have high ruminative tendencies will demonstrate a larger heart rate and subjective anxiety increase with stress than those with low ruminative tendencies. Our study is the first study to examine ruminators when they are not induced to ruminate by the researchers. A better understanding of different persons’ reaction to stress can help therapists anticipate patients that may potentially react more adversely to stressful life events.

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