The Impact Of Interdependent Self-construal On Psychological Stress And Physical Stress

Psychological stress is defined as the state of individual’s homeostasis under psychosocial threat.Physical stress refers to those intense stimuli directly acting on body,such as trauma,extreme temperature,excessive muscle movement,hypoxia etc.Both psychological stress and physical stress could not only produce psychological feelings of stress but also produce a series of physiological stress response,in which the most important two parts are the autonomic nervous system and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal(HPA axis)system.Previous researches have found that both external environmental factors and individual personality traits can influence individuals’ stress response.In terms of external environment,ithas been shown that psychological stress which contains uncontrollability and social evaluative threat can induce the strongest stress response.As for personality traits,many of them including self-esteem,extraversion,optimism and perfectionism are associated with stress responses.Self-construal is an important personality trait and seems to be closely related to the two important environmental factors of psychological stress,but it has been seldom noticed in the previous researches on stress.Self-construal reflects how individuals perceive and define themselves.There are two dimensions of self-construal: interdependent and independent.Collectivist culture tends to cultivate interdependent self-construal which defines self as a person associated with others,according to the overlap of interpersonal relationships,social role.In order to maintain interpersonal harmony,interdependent self-construalindividuals make efforts to meet the needs of others and achieve the target of the collective.The individualistic culture tends to cultivate the independent self-construal which defines self as a complete entity separated from others and the group.Independent self-construal individuals insists on their important traits,abilities,hobbies or attitudes.Our China is a typical collectivist country,which is dominated by interdependent self-construal in the population.The present research aimed to explore the impact of interdependent self-construal on stress respectively from chronic psychological stress,acute psychological stress and physical stress.In study 1,we explored the impact ofinterdependent self-construal on daily chronic psychological stress based on subjective questionnaires.302 college students were randomly recruited as subjects to fill in daily stress inventory(DSI)and self-construal scale.Results showed that interdependent self-construal and daily stress levelare positively correlated while independent self-construal and daily stress level are not significantly correlated.In study 2,we not only explored the impact of interdependent self-construal on acute psychological stress based on Trier Social Stress Test(TSST)paradigm,but also testified the relationship between interdependent self-construal and daily chronic stress by cortisol awakening response(CAR).23 individuals with high interdependent self-construal and 23 individuals with low interdependent self-construal were selected from a large sample,and the independent self-construal of two groups were balanced.Saliva samples in the morning were collected to analyze subjects’ CAR.In formal experimental session,subjects of two groups completed the same TSST task,being repeatedly measured the subjective reports and biological indicators of stress.As soon as the TSST was ended,subjects’ feelingof uncontrollability and negative evaluative threat in TSST were recorded.Results showed that: 1)Individuals with high interdependent self-construal also have stronger CAR;2)In the TSST,the subjective stress report,heart rate and salivary cortisol response of high interdependent self-construal individuals were significantly stronger than that of low interdependent self-construal individuals;3)The uncontrollability and negative evaluative threat of high interdependent self-construal individuals were significantly higher than that of low interdependent self-construal individuals;4)Mediation analysis suggested that it is the negative evaluative threat that mediated the effect of the group(high interdependent/low interdependent)on the psychological stress response while mediation effect was not found on uncontrollability.In study 3,we not only explored the impact of interdependent self-construal on physical stress,but also improved the measurement of CAR in study 2.55 subjects were randomly recruited and their saliva samples were collected on a weekday morning to analyze CAR.After completing self-construal scaleIn formal experimental session,subjects underwent the CPT task,being repeatedly measured the subjective reports and biological indicators of stress.As soon as the CPT was ended,subjects’ feeling of uncontrollability and negative evaluative threat in CPT were recorded.Then,according to the time that how long their hands were immersed in ice water,they were divided into the long time group(32 people,180 seconds)and the short time group(23 people,with an average of 60.2 seconds).Results showed that the physiological stress response indicators(blood,saliva cortisol)of long time group were significantly higher than that of short time group while the psychological stress reaction indicators(subjective stress report,uncontrolled feeling,negative threat)of short time group were significantly higher than that of long time group.Further modulation analysis showed that interdependent self-construalmodulated the effect of group(long time/short time)on the stress response(cortisol),namely,high interdependent individuals’ stress response in long time group is significantly stronger than that in short time group while low interdependent individuals’ stress response in the two groupshad no significant difference.Additionally,the relationship between CAR and interdependent self-construal was consistent with the results of study 2,namely,the physiological indicators also testified that higher interdependent self-construal resulted in higher level of daily chronic stress.In sum,present study found a positive correlation between interdependent self-construal and psychological stress either on daily chronic stress or acute stress.Moreover,it is the negative evaluative threat that mediated the effect of interdependent self-construal on acute psychological stress response.As for the physical stress,the duration and intensity are more important factors influencing stress response,whereas interdependent self-construal just played a modelation role.