Trait and state approach-motivated positive affects interactively influence stress cardiovascular recovery

One of the potential mechanisms of positive affect (PA) in promoting physical health is by speeding up stress cardiovascular recovery. However, little is known whether high and low approach-motivated PA (AMPA) equally speed stress cardiovascular recovery and whether these effects are affected by personality traits that are associated with approach motivation. The present study investigated the impact of trait AMPA (assessed by sensation seeking) and state AMPA (elicited by positive stimuli) on stress cardiovascular recovery. After completion of Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS-V), 165 undergraduate students were subjected to a stress protocol, and then randomized to watch high AMPA, low AMPA and neutral pictures. Baseline, stress exposure, and post-stress cardiovascular data were collected. Results showed that compared to neutral and state low AMPA conditions, state high AMPA prolonged stress HR recovery. Moreover, individuals low in sensation seeking exhibited delayed SBP and DBP recovery under state high AMPA condition relative to state low AMPA and neutral conditions. Individuals high in sensation seeking exhibited comparable stress BP recovery across the three conditions. These findings suggest that the association between PA and stress cardiovascular recovery is contingent on approach motivational intensity, which might have health implications.