Heart rate, recall, and reaction-time measures of levels of processing

Program running versus problem solving: Mental task effect on tonic heart rate

It was hypothesized that mental tasks that involve program running (RUN tasks) would cause a greater tonic heart rate (HR) increase than tasks that require the search for problem solutions (EDIT tasks). Three experiments using verbal, numeric, and graphic material were run to compare tasks matched for difficulty but differing in qualitative demands (RUN vs. EDIT tasks). As predicted, filling in missing letters in words caused a larger HR increase than finding words that were logical continuations of a series of words (Experiment 1) and performing arithmetic operations caused a greater HR increase than logical completion of a series of digits (Experiment 2). In Experiment 3, two of three tasks that demanded counting of graphic elements caused a larger HR increase than a task that required logical completion of a series of graphic elements. Experiments 1 and 2 also showed that RUN tasks evoked greater phasic HR acceleration than EDIT tasks.

Heart-rate changes during covert rehearsal and response execution

The phasic ardiac responses and reaction times (RT) of 27 normal adult males were examined during a fixed-foreperiod RT task involving three levels of difficulty of rehearsal, with subject instructed to respond to the reaction signal following one of three delay periods. The results indicated accelerative heart-rate changes corresponding to the requirements of the rehearsal task, regardless of the timing of the motor response. The magnitude of the decelerative component appeared to be primarily dependent on the stimulus detection and requirements of the response decision signalled by the stimuli. Preparation to make a motor response per se did not influence heart-rate deceleration significantly. Potential applications of the heart-rate measure as an independent physiological index of activities related to the processes of memory and attention were suggested.

Heart-Rate Changes during Covert Rehearsal and Response Execution

The phasic cardiac responses and reaction times (RT) of 27 normal adult males were examined during a fixed-foreperiod RT task involving three levels of difficulty of rehearsal, with subject instructed to respond to the reaction signal following one of three delay periods. The results indicated accelerative heart-rate changes corresponding to the requirements of the rehearsal task, regardless of the timing of the motor response. The magnitude of the decelerative component appeared to be primarily dependent on the stimulus detection and requirements of the response decision signalled by the stimuli. Preparation to make a motor response per se did not influence heart-rate deceleration significantly. Potential applications of the heart-rate measure as an independent physiological index of activities related to the processes of memory and attention were suggested.