Shlomo Breznitz

The effect of time pressure on risky choice behavior

Abstract Thirty six subjects chose individually between pairs of gambles under three time pressure conditions: High (8 seconds), Medium (16 seconds) and Low (32 seconds). The gambles in each pair were equated for expected value but differed in variance, amounts to win and lose and their respective probabilities. Information about each dimension could be obtained by the subject sequentially according to his preference. The results show that subjects are less risky under High as compared to Medium and Low time pressure, risk taking being measured by choices of gambles with lower variance or lower amounts to lose and win. Subjects tended to spend more time observing the negative dimensions (amount to lose and probability of losing), whereas under low time pressure they preffered observing their positive counterparts. Information preference was found to be related to choices. Filtration of information and acceleration of its processing appear to be the strategies of coping with time pressure.

Experimental Induction and Termination of Acute Psychological Stress in Human Volunteers: Effects on Immunological, Neuroendocrine, Cardiovascular, and Psychological Parameters

The present research investigated the effects of controlled experimental manipulations of stress on biological and psychological reactions. Fifty young adult male volunteers were exposed to a 12-min period of stress induced by the threat of an unavoidable, painful electric shock. A 12-min period without this threat preceded or followed the stress period. Blood was drawn during the 4th and the 12th minute of each period. Anticipatory threat led to significant elevations in the proportions and cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) lymphocytes, plasma epinephrine levels, pulse rate, and reported level of tension, and to a reduction in the CD4/CD8 ratios. The no-threat period induced a return to baseline values for epinephrine, pulse rate, and tension, and lower than baseline levels for cytotoxic activity of NK lymphocytes, within a similarly short time span. The findings underline the rapidity with which physiological changes may transpire in the course of a brief and acute period of psychological stress, and the rapidity of their reversal upon relief from the stressor.

The Effect of Hope on Coping with Stress

My studies on hope and its effects on coping are still in their initial stages, and, consequently, this presentation will be a highly speculative one. It consists of an attempt to delineate some common foci pertaining to hope that can be found in a variety of stressful situations. These foci are abstractions based on qualitative information obtained in interviews with people under a serious threat, such as awaiting the results of biopsy testing for breast cancer, waiting for surgery, anticipation of a major oral exam, and so forth. Because the purpose of these interviews was hypothesis-generating, rather than testing, some clear notions about the role of hope, the samples are by no means representative, nor were they meant to be.

Studies in Psychoneuroimmunology: Psychological, Immunological, and Neuroendocrinological Parameters in Israeli Civilians during and after a Period of Scud Missile Attacks

Twenty-two male volunteers in Jerusalem were subjected to a battery of psychological tests at the height of the Iraqi Scud missile attacks on Israeli cities during the 1991 Persian Gulf War and again after the cessation of hostilities. Venous blood samples were taken at each time point. The separated mononuclear cells and plasma were cryopreserved, and a spectrum of immunological and neuroendocrine assays were performed on the preserved samples. Psychological testing indicated levels of anxiety were higher during the war than they were after the war ended, and both anxiety and anger during the hostilities were significantly elevated in comparison with prewar data. During the war, specific war-related pressures were greater than everyday pressures, and problem-focused coping was more evident than emotion-focused coping. Natural-killer cell activity and cell-mediated lympholysis were significantly elevated during the war, as were plasma levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone, neurotensin, and substance P. The only biological test parameter found to be reduced during the war period was mononuclear cell thymidine incorporated in nonstimulated cultures.

What makes people angry: Dimensions of anger-evoking events

Abstract The effects of nine event dimensions on self-reported anger were investigated in three studies, using descriptions of everyday provocations. The descriptions were constructed according to predetermined dimensions by utilizing several Cartesian designs. The main results indicated that level of damage is the most influential dimension affecting judgmental anger. Other dimensions such as intentionality tentionality and preventability of the damage also consistently increased the level of anger. When the damage was unexpected or could not be corrected, level of anger was sometimes elevated as well. It is concluded that human anger is affected by three basic aspects of a harmful event, its main determinants being extent of damage and, to a lesser degree, the causes of the damaging act and the likelihood of damage occurrence. Several interpretations of the strong effect of level of damage are proposed.

Are There Coping Strategies

Research on illness behaviour has indicated that the shared images and expectations of people are often determined to a great degree by labels that are used in either describing symptoms or in applying diagnostic labels. For instance, the term “stress”, which has become a major topic in both research and clinical practice, owes its popularity to its excess meaning. Today, it is often said that we live in an era of stress. Everything is stress. However, only 20 years ago we were all living in the era of anxiety. There is a psychologically interesting difference between the two words which, perhaps, can account for the transition from anxiety to stress.