EFFECT OF VERBAL SELF-DISCLOSURE ON NATURAL-KILLER-CELL ACTIVITY - MODERATING INFLUENCE OF CYNICAL HOSTILITY

One objective of the present research was to examine the immunological effects of self-disclosing personal information regarding a traumatic or stressful experience. A second objective was to examine the hypoth esis that the effect of self-disclosure on immune function is moderate d by individual differences in cynical hostility. Forty-three male col lege undergraduates, classified as high or low on the Cook-Medley Host ility scale were randomly assigned to either a verbal self-disclosure or a nondisclosure discussion condition. Task-induced change in natura l killer (NK) cell activity (i.e., cytotoxicity) served as the depende nt variable. As predicted, a significant interaction between discussio n condition and hostility was obtained, Among subjects in the self-dis closure condition, high hostility subjects exhibited a significantly g reater increase in NK cell cytotoxicity than low hostility subjects. T he effect of self-disclosure on NK cell activity is moderated by an in dividual's level of cynical hostility. The greater short term enhancem ent in NK cell activity observed for hostile persons is a likely corre late of a more pronounced acute arousal response elicited by the self- disclosure task.