A sense of perfidy in the social system of the hypertensive

Abstract

This study examined a sample of hypertensive patients (n = 61) and a set of controls (n = 56) from the same hypertension clinic. The study tested two hypotheses. The first hypothesis was that hypertensives would not score significantly different than controls on a measure of anger during evaluation. The second hypothesis stated that hypertensives would not score significantly different than controls on a measure of anxiety with authority figures. The first hypothesis was derived from past work of trait research correlating cynical hostility with hypertension. The second hypothesis evolved from behavioral evidence from hypertensives of social anxiety with authority figures. The second hypothesis is closely related to the concept of "white coat hypertension" found in previous research. We presented a theoretical model to to support our hypotheses which incorporated developmental theories of a process engendering cognitive schemas that led to the exhibited behaviors under study in our hypotheses. The obtained results opposed our first hypothesis. Subjects enrolled as controls scored significantly higher on the measure of anger during evaluation.;The probability of this significant difference be due to chance is.001, Our second hypothesis found support. Subjects with hypertension scored significantly higher on a measure of social anxiety with authority figures. The probability of this significant difference be due to chance is.000.;Discussion followed to explain the discrepancy between the obtained results and our theoretical model. Two main opposing theories were examined to explain the results. The first theory explains the results of controls receiving higher anger scores by relying on prior research that points to inhibited and unexpressed anger and a general inability to express feelings in hypertensives, The second theory indicates that people with hypertension experience less anger than people without hypertension. The author concurs with the presented theory to explain the results due to the weight of prior research. Recommendations followed that describe measures that would detect differences between hypertensives and controls more adequately than the measures used in this study.