Effects of punishment on catecholamine release and efficiency of performance (original) (raw)

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Abstract

Physiological and psychological reactions were studied in 40 subjects under four different conditions. In Session I the subjects received electric shocks according to a random schedule which they could not influence. In Sessions II and III a choice-reaction task was performed, and half of the subjects were punished for slow performance, the degree of situational control exerted by the subjects being greater in Session III. Session IV was spent by all subjects in passive relaxation. Punishment produced a rise in both adrenaline and noradrenaline release. By increasing the subject's control over the situation it was possible to counteract the adrenaline increase, while noradrenaline release appeared unaffected. On the whole, subjects with high as compared with low rates of adrenaline and noradrenaline excretion were more efficient in terms of both speed and accuracy of performance.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Psychological Laboratories, University of Stockholm, Sweden
   Marianne Frankenhaeuser & Anita Rissler

Authors

1. Marianne Frankenhaeuser
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2. Anita Rissler
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Additional information

The investigation was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (Project No. 40x-997), the Swedish Council for Social Science Research, and the University of Stockholm. We are indebted to Gunn Johansson, B. A., for assistance in the experimental work, to Jan Lindell, B. A., and Olle Jonsson, B. A., for statistical advice, and to Mrs. Astrid Purkhold for carrying out the catecholamine analyses.

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Frankenhaeuser, M., Rissler, A. Effects of punishment on catecholamine release and efficiency of performance.Psychopharmacologia 17, 378–390 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403809

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• Received: 30 December 1969
• Issue Date: January 1970
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403809

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