ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors explain several lines of research which have contributed to they understanding of the psychophysiology of the peripheral vascular system in the intact human, alert and interacting with his environment. They commonly speak of an individual becoming purple with rage, red with embarrassment, pale with anger, gray with fear, or blue with cold. Such phrases reflect, at least in part, accurate observations of the state of the circulation in the face, and they suggest that peripheral vascular changes might provide unique information about the relationships between emotion, behavior, and physiological change. In addition to the changes which take place when the body is exposed to a changing environment, vaso- and veno-motor responses can be induced by local temperature change. Increased environmental temperature can reduce the venous response to other stimuli. Blood pressure changes were consistent with changes in hydrostatic pressure, but only slight variations in venous pressure were seen.
