Trier Social Stress Test
Encyclopedia
The Trier Social Stress test is a psychological procedure that allows experiment
ers to induce stress
under laboratory
conditions. What is unique about the procedure is that it also allows experimenters to compare people's stress
levels, despite individual differences (e.g. personality).
The test is designed to induce stress in as many people as possible, by using a wide range of methods.
) in room A.
• At time zero, the participant is taken into a second room (room B) and introduced to the task they will have to perform subsequently.
• In room B, three people (the interview
panel
) are already sitting at a table and a video camera and tape recorder are installed.
• The participant is asked to stand in front of the interview panel.
• The investigator now asks the participant to assume the role of a job applicant who is invited to a personal interview
with the company's staff managers (selection committee
).
• The participant is told that after a preparation period they should introduce themselves to the managers in a free speech of 5 min duration and convince the managers that they are the perfect applicant for the vacant position.
• The managers are introduced as being specially trained to monitor non-verbal behaviour.
• Further it is announced that a voice frequency analysis
of non-verbal behaviours will be performed on the tape-recorded talk.
• In addition a video analysis of the participant's performance
will also be conducted.
• The selection committee always comprises males and females.
• Following these instructions the participant returns to room A and is given 10 minutes to prepare for their talk. They may make pen and paper notes but are not allowed to refer to these during the interview.
• At time +10 min. the participant is guided back to the interview
room (room B) by the investigator who then leaves the room. One of the managers now invites the subject to begin his talk, to last for 5 minutes in front of the selection committee. The participant stands before the committee.
• If the participant finishes his speech prior to the allotted 5 minutes the managers should respond in the standardised way. They first telling the participant "You still have some time; please continue". Should the participant finish a second time before the five minutes are over, the managers say nothing for 20 seconds and then ask prepared questions.
• At time +15 min. the selection committee ask the participant to count down from a large prime number (2083, for example) in increments of 13 as quickly and accurately as possible.
• On every failure
the participant has to restart at the beginning number with one member of the committee prompting:"error 2083."
• At time +20 min. the task is completed and the participant is taken back to room A by the investigator, who then debriefs the participant about the goal of the study and that neither voice pattern nor video analysis would be performed.
• The participant is allowed to rest during which various physiological measures of the stress response are made.
Experiment
An experiment is a methodical procedure carried out with the goal of verifying, falsifying, or establishing the validity of a hypothesis. Experiments vary greatly in their goal and scale, but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results...
ers to induce stress
Stress (medicine)
Stress is a term in psychology and biology, borrowed from physics and engineering and first used in the biological context in the 1930s, which has in more recent decades become commonly used in popular parlance...
under laboratory
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
conditions. What is unique about the procedure is that it also allows experimenters to compare people's stress
Stress (medicine)
Stress is a term in psychology and biology, borrowed from physics and engineering and first used in the biological context in the 1930s, which has in more recent decades become commonly used in popular parlance...
levels, despite individual differences (e.g. personality).
The test is designed to induce stress in as many people as possible, by using a wide range of methods.
Procedure
• After arrival at the laboratory participants are allowed to rest for ten minutes (30 min after insertion of an indwelling catheterCatheter
In medicine, a catheter is a tube that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel. Catheters thereby allow drainage, administration of fluids or gases, or access by surgical instruments. The process of inserting a catheter is catheterization...
) in room A.
• At time zero, the participant is taken into a second room (room B) and introduced to the task they will have to perform subsequently.
• In room B, three people (the interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
panel
Panel
- Art and comic books :*Panel painting, in art, either one element of a multi-element piece of art, such as a triptych, a piece of sequential art such as a graphic novel or comic strip, or a wooden panel used to paint a picture on...
) are already sitting at a table and a video camera and tape recorder are installed.
• The participant is asked to stand in front of the interview panel.
• The investigator now asks the participant to assume the role of a job applicant who is invited to a personal interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
with the company's staff managers (selection committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
).
• The participant is told that after a preparation period they should introduce themselves to the managers in a free speech of 5 min duration and convince the managers that they are the perfect applicant for the vacant position.
• The managers are introduced as being specially trained to monitor non-verbal behaviour.
• Further it is announced that a voice frequency analysis
Voice analysis
Voice analysis is the study of speech sounds for purposes other than linguistic content, such as in speech recognition. Such studies include mostly medical analysis of the voice i.e. phoniatrics, but also speaker identification...
of non-verbal behaviours will be performed on the tape-recorded talk.
• In addition a video analysis of the participant's performance
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
will also be conducted.
• The selection committee always comprises males and females.
• Following these instructions the participant returns to room A and is given 10 minutes to prepare for their talk. They may make pen and paper notes but are not allowed to refer to these during the interview.
• At time +10 min. the participant is guided back to the interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
room (room B) by the investigator who then leaves the room. One of the managers now invites the subject to begin his talk, to last for 5 minutes in front of the selection committee. The participant stands before the committee.
• If the participant finishes his speech prior to the allotted 5 minutes the managers should respond in the standardised way. They first telling the participant "You still have some time; please continue". Should the participant finish a second time before the five minutes are over, the managers say nothing for 20 seconds and then ask prepared questions.
• At time +15 min. the selection committee ask the participant to count down from a large prime number (2083, for example) in increments of 13 as quickly and accurately as possible.
• On every failure
Failure
Failure refers to the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. Product failure ranges from failure to sell the product to fracture of the product, in the worst cases leading to personal injury, the province of forensic...
the participant has to restart at the beginning number with one member of the committee prompting:"error 2083."
• At time +20 min. the task is completed and the participant is taken back to room A by the investigator, who then debriefs the participant about the goal of the study and that neither voice pattern nor video analysis would be performed.
• The participant is allowed to rest during which various physiological measures of the stress response are made.
External links
- The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), SciTopics