Psychosomatic Medicine 31:499-509 (1969)
© 1969 American Psychosomatic Society

Leveling-Sharpening and Anticipatory Cardiac Response

¹ Research Center for Mental Health, New York University NY.

This study demonstrated that the anticipatory cardiac response to visual stimuli reflects the interaction between the cognitive "style" of the subject and his attitude toward the future stimulus. During periods of anticipation, cardiac deceleration was particularly characteristic of sharpeners--whose style is one of paying attention to all aspects of stimuli, whether interesting, dull, or emotionallyarousing. In contrast, levelers--whose style is one of withdrawing attention from both uninteresting and arousing stimuli--showed an anticipatory cardiac response that was closely tied to their attitude toward the coming stimulus. For them, cardiac acceleration may have reflected a defensive reaction analogous to the environmental rejection pattern which the Laceys¹ have heuristically proposed. The findings add validity to the Laceys' concept of directional fractionation and their theory of the functional significance of cardiovascular change.