Physiological Responses of Males and Females to Emotionally Charged Videos

Abstract

The physiological effect that a crying infant has on its caregivers is a well-studied phenomenon. An infant’s cries activate fear circuits in the brain, with the involvement of the amygdala indicated. The purpose of this study is to determine the physiological effect of a crying infant and a whimpering puppy on young adults (20-35 years old) to differentiate any levels of response based on gender independent of parental status. The measurements being used to quantify physiological arousal are Mean Arterial Pressure, Heart Rate, and Skin Conductance. Heart rate was obtained from using electrodes attached to the skin to measure the electrical activity of the heart. Mean arterial pressure was measured using OMRON 10 Series + Blood Pressure Monitor. Skin conductance was taken using EDA equipment. 13 participants obtained were females while 14 were males, allowing for a total of 27 participants. Using 14 male participants and 13 female participants, ANOVA comparing males and females within each experimental group of neutral, baby, and puppy was run on data. No statistically significant data was found using a widely accepted p-value of 0.05.