PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SMOKING AND STRESS COPING

Earlier studies with different types of stressors suggested that cigar ette smoking might selectively dampen physiological stress reactions i n passive rather than in active coping situations. This hypothesis was tested in the present study using the same task for both types of cop ing, but with two different instructions. Twenty-four female regular s mokers were assigned either to a group requiring active coping or to a group requiring passive coping with ongoing electric shocks, and test ed in two sessions where they performed a pre- and a postsmoking/ non- smoking trial of the rapid information processing task (RIP). Smoking increased RIP task performance, cardiovascular and electrocortical aro usal, and reduced anxiety throughout the session. Active coping, as co mpared to passive coping, produced greater increases in heart rate and blood pressure, a greater pre- to posttreatment decrease in reaction time and higher pain ratings of the electrical shocks. However, intera ctions between the effects of smoking and the type of coping were few and did not suggest a plausible concept. Thus, it was concluded that, although the typical effects of smoking as well as the differentiation between active and passive coping seen earlier with the same paradigm were confirmed, cigarette smoking did not affect the effects of the t wo coping conditions in a differential way.