Effect of Restraint on Temperature Regulation in the Cat

The effects of social stimuli on the response to stress.

“…Whether the pituitary-adrenal response to psychological (nonphysical) stress has survival value for the organism can be questioned. Experiments by Bartlett and others (Bartlett, Bohr, Helmendach, Foster, & Miller, 1954;Bartlett, Helmendach, & Bohr, 1953;Bartlett, Helmendach, & Inman, 1954) showed that animals subjected to emotional stress (restraint) and extreme cold were unable to maintain body temperature, which fell almost as rapidly as that of dead animals, whereas animals subjected to cold alone could maintain temperature reasonably well. In short, it would appear that emotional stress or excitement has an additive effect (Lavenda, Bartlett, & Kennedy, 1956), accelerating depletion of the body's vital protein and carbohydrate stores when the organism is already under physical stress.…”

“…Another method of getting at the effect of social stimuli on the response to stress is suggested by the experiments of Bartlett et al (1953Bartlett et al ( , 1954 referred to above. It can be hypothesized that body temperature under extreme cold or heat can be better maintained in a group of persons with a previous history of interaction, compared to a group without such experience, since the emotional component of these stress agents would be reduced or eliminated for 5s in the first group.…”