| dc.description.abstract | Previous research has suggested that oral contraceptives (OCs) may provide a stabilizing
effect on mood. The present study attempted to examine the differences between OC
users, nonusers, and men on measures o f mood and heart rate in response to mood
primes, in order to determine whether exogenous and endogenous hormones affect mood
and physiological reactivity to hormonally-relevant stimuli. A sample of 108
undergraduate students (41 OC users, 36 nonusers, and 31 men) completed a mood
questionnaire before and after completing a randomized series of four mood-inducing
tasks (to induce positive affect, jealousy, social ostracism, and parental feelings) while
their heart rate was monitored. Partial support for the hypothesis that OC users would
experience less mood reactivity than nonusers was found in that OC users experienced a
blunted positive affect response to the tasks when compared with nonusers. The groups
did not differ in terms o f their negative affect, jealousy, parental feelings, feelings of
ostracism, or HR reactivity in response to the four tasks. Possible mechanisms for an OC-induced
positive affect stabilization effect are discussed. | |
