MULTIPLE STRESSORS - PERFORMANCE, PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL AND AFFECTIVE RESPONSES

Environmental demands rarely occur in isolation. Two studies examine t he interactive effects of multiple, sequential stressors on cognitive performance and psychophysiological indices. The negative effects of n oise on both concurrent and aftereffect performance and blood pressure are exacerbated by prior exposure to either a laboratory stressor (sp eech) or to a naturalistic stressor (university final examination). Pa rticipants also perceive greater workload demands when performing a la boratory task during the final examination period. Conceptual and publ ic policy implications for studying stress within a more ecologically valid context of multiple environmental demands are discussed. (C) 199 6 Academic Press Limited