The Stress-Buffering Effects of a Brief Dyadic Interaction Before an Acute Stressor

Abstract

Although previous studies have confirmed that affectionate interaction can reduce the effects of stress, whether or not this effect is due more to habituation or the accumulation of affection remains an area of debate. The goal of the present study was to determine how specific acts of affection mitigate the effects of stress. Sixty mixed-sex dyads (half platonic friends and half dating partners) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, affectionate interaction, quiet rest with the friend/romantic partner present, or separation from the friend/romantic partner, before one of the partners experienced a series of stressful activities. Results revealed that participants in the affection condition experienced the smallest increase in cardiovascular arousal regardless of relationship status. Participants’ endocrine responses were more nuanced and depended on both their biological sex and the nature of the relationship with the companion. Given that these systems did not act in concert with one another, results provide mixed evidence for both an accumulation and habituation effect.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Ken Kirschner in conducting physiological analyses.

Notes

¹ Participants assigned to the affectionate communication and quiet rest condition were reunited with their companions and given the following directions derived from the warm contact interaction utilized by Grewen and colleagues (2003, 2005), with the distinction that participants were instructed to focus exclusively on positive aspects of their relationship and were not shown romantic video clips:

What I’d like for you to do now is talk to each other about fond memories of times that you’ve spent together. It’s best for you to start with the first time you met. Include as many details as possible: where you were, what the situation was like, what you liked best about one another, etc. After that, I’d like you to talk about some of your favorite memories of times you’ve spent together, especially times that made you feel close to one another. I am going to step outside in a moment, and I’ll give you ten minutes to talk together.

At the conclusion of their conversation, researchers asked participants to give one another a brief (<10 seconds) hug as part of the affectionate interaction.

For participants assigned to the presence only condition, the companion was again reintroduced into the lab and participants were given the following directions:

What I’d like for you to do is sit together quietly for the next few minutes and just relax. Please do not talk to one another. I am going to step outside for a few minutes and leave the two of you to relax quietly together.

For participants assigned to the control condition, the companion remained separated from the participant for the ten-minute manipulation period. The participant was read the following instructions:

I am going to give you ten minutes to sit quietly and just relax before we begin the challenging activities. Please do your best to sit quietly and clear your head. I am going to step out of the room again, and when I return, we will begin.