ABSTRACT
Blood pressure (BP) is one of the most frequently measured physiological variables. Its measurement in the physician's office and the hospital or clinic far exceeds its use as a variable in psychological research. This is because of its importance as a general index of cardiovascular function and health. Research on the effects of psychological stimuli on blood pressure dates back to at least the 1920s, when Nissen, as one example, obtained blood pressure readings of patients in a dentist's chair. Pressures rose sharply as soon as the dentist entered the room! (Woodworth & Schlosberg, 1954 ).
