A case for the usefulness of laboratory social stressors

Although laboratory stress research is a popular and vibrant area of resear ch activity, there is surprisingly little evidence that laboratory stress m odels are clinically useful (i.e. that they can explain and predict the dev elopment of disease). This article summarizes evidence that the usefulness of lab stress research can be improved with the use of social stressors. Tw o lines of evidence are presented in support of this argument: (a) studies comparing physiological reactivity to different lab stressors with ambulato ry activity, and (b) a meta-analysis of investigations of cortisol response s to laboratory stressors. Further issues of importance in understanding so cial stressors are gender differences and the vulnerability (i.e. weak reli ability) of social stressor impact to relatively small changes in the exper imental protocol itself.