IRONIC EFFECTS OF TRYING TO RELAX UNDER STRESS

Two studies found that intentional relaxation under conditions of ment al load or stress produces ironic increases in skin conductance level (SCL). In Experiment 1, participants instructed to relax under the hig h mental load of rehearsing a long number had higher SCL than those in structed to relax under low load, and tended to have higher SCL than t hose under high load not instructed to relax. In Experiment. 2, partic ipants were instructed to relax or were not so instructed while they a nswered questions described either as measures of IQ or as unimportant . Those in the more loading and stressful situation who were asked to relax had greater SCL during the questions than those not asked to rel ax. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd