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Cited by 797Stress Responses and CortisolNeuroendocrine regulation and behaviorAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Sex differences in stress responses: social rejection versus achievement stress

Stroud, Laura R, Salovey, Peter, Epel, Elissa S·2002·Biological Psychiatry
DOI 10.1016/s0006-3223(02)01333-1
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Abstract

Background Sex differences in stress responses may be one mechanism underlying gender differences in depression. We hypothesized that men and women would show different adrenocortical responses to different stressors. In particular, we predicted that women would show greater responses to social rejection stressors, whereas men would demonstrate greater responses to achievement stressors.Methods Following a rest session in which they habituated to the laboratory, 50 healthy volunteers (24 men and 26 women, mean age 19.1, SD = 1.13) were randomly assigned to achievement or rejection stress conditions. The achievement condition involved a mathematical and a verbal challenge; the rejection condition involved two social interaction challenges. Self-reported affect and salivary cortisol were measured throughout each stress session (baseline, stress, and poststress periods).Results There were no sex differences in mood ratings following the stressors; however, cortisol responses showed the predicted gender by condition by time interaction. Men showed significantly greater cortisol responses to the achievement challenges, but women showed greater cortisol responses to the social rejection challenges.Conclusions Women appear more physiologically reactive to social rejection challenges, but men react more to achievement challenges. Women's greater reactivity to rejection stress may contribute to the increased rates of affective disorders in women.

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  • Sexual dimorphism in the HPA axis response to psychosocial stress has been observed.

    “sexual dimorphism in both the HPA axis response to psychosocial stress [48,49]”

    From The Effect of Music on the Human Stress Response (2013) · cites this paper as [49]

  • Women show larger HPA activation than men in situations involving social rejection.

    “whereas women show larger HPA activation in situations involving social rejection (Stroud et al., 2002; see also Ennis et al., 2001)”

    From The Adaptive Calibration Model of stress responsivity (2011) · cites this paper as Stroud et al., 2002

  • Men often show larger HPA activation than women in achievement-related tasks, which may elicit status-related motives.

    “Men often show larger HPA activation than women in achievement-related tasks (which may elicit status-related motives)”

    From The Adaptive Calibration Model of stress responsivity (2011) · cites this paper as Stroud et al., 2002

  • The Yale Interpersonal Stressor is a standardized social rejection paradigm.

    “the Yale Interpersonal Stressor, a standardized social rejection paradigm (Stroud, TanofskyKraff, Wilfley, & Salovey, 2000; Stroud, Salovey, & Epel, 2002).”

    From Acute intranasal oxytocin improves positive self-perceptions of personality (2012) · cites this paper as Stroud, Salovey, & Epel, 2002

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Authors
Stroud, L. R., Salovey, P., & Epel, E. S.
Affiliations
  • Brown University (US)
  • Yale University (US)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Stroud, Laura R
ORCID
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2002-08
Volume
52
Issue
4
Pages
318-327
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0006-3223(02)01333-1
OpenAlex
W2024158767
Cited by
797
References
100
Citations by year
2026: 26 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 48 · 2017: 45 · 2016: 51 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 47 · 2013: 47 · 2012: 35
FWCI
4.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Center for Research Resources (M01RR000125, RR00125)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
sex differences, stress response, social rejection, salivary cortisol, adrenocortical reactivity, gender differences in depression, mood disorders, mood, stress hormones
MeSH terms
Achievement, Adolescent, Adrenal Cortex, Adult, Affect, Arousal, Female, Gender Identity, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Male, Rejection, Psychology, Saliva, Stress, Psychological

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