Abstract

This study was to investigate the effects of gender, defensive trait and induced defensive situation on anger experience and cardiovascular reactivity of high hostile college students under the provocative social context. Participants of this study were eighty-six college students who had high scores in cynicism of Cook-Medley Hostility Scale. Male and female participants, who had high or low defensiveness trait scores, were randomly assigned into one of the two conditions either induced defensive needs or not. Participants with high defensive trait reported lower anger than those with low defensive trait. Males in the situation with no defensive need reported higher anger than males in that with no defensive need. Males showed lower systolic blood pressure at the condition of low defensive trait and with no defensive need. Males showed higher systolic blood pressure than females and Situational need for defensiveness made systolic blood pressure increase. Results of this study were discussed in related with relevant studies.