TY - JOUR
T1 - Salivary α-amylase response to competition
T2 - Relation to gender, previous experience, and attitudes
AU - Kivlighan, Katie T.
AU - Granger, Douglas A.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported in part by the Behavioral Endocrinology Laboratory and the Population Research Institute (PRI) at The Pennsylvania State University. We wish to acknowledge Stefanie Bachman, Erica Schreffler, Michelle Gandhi, Linda Boseska, Kelly Weaver, Christina Cohen, and Ann Morrisey for their assistance with data collection, and our colleague Alan Booth who was involved in the design and report of the original study. Thanks are due to Mary Curran for biotechnical support with immunoassays. Materials and reagents were contributed in part by Salimetrics LLC (State College, PA).
PY - 2006/7
Y1 - 2006/7
N2 - This study examined individual differences in salivary α-amylase response to competition in relation to gender, previous experience, behavior, attitudes, and performance. Participants were 42 (21 women) members of a collegiate crew team. Saliva samples were collected before, 20- and 40-min post-ergometer competition and at the same times on a non-competition day for comparison. Samples were assayed for salivary biomarkers of sympathetic nervous system (α-amylase) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (cortisol) activity. Behavioral assessments included self-reports of dominance, competitiveness, bonding with teammates, competition-related strategic thinking, and performance. On average, salivary α-amylase increased 156% in response to the ergometer competition. By comparison, cortisol increased 87% across the same time period. Salivary α-amylase was higher across the competition for varsity than for novice athletes, and was positively associated with performance and interest in team-bonding. Regression analyses revealed that α-amylase reactivity explained individual differences in dominance and team bonding above and beyond that associated with cortisol reactivity, and that joint inactivation in α-amylase and cortisol reactivity to competition (low-low) was associated with high perceived dominance. The findings are among the first to integrate salivary α-amylase into the study of competition and reveal that intra-individual change in α-amylase may be influenced by a confluence of factors that include contextual, behavioral, and psychological factors and processes.
AB - This study examined individual differences in salivary α-amylase response to competition in relation to gender, previous experience, behavior, attitudes, and performance. Participants were 42 (21 women) members of a collegiate crew team. Saliva samples were collected before, 20- and 40-min post-ergometer competition and at the same times on a non-competition day for comparison. Samples were assayed for salivary biomarkers of sympathetic nervous system (α-amylase) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (cortisol) activity. Behavioral assessments included self-reports of dominance, competitiveness, bonding with teammates, competition-related strategic thinking, and performance. On average, salivary α-amylase increased 156% in response to the ergometer competition. By comparison, cortisol increased 87% across the same time period. Salivary α-amylase was higher across the competition for varsity than for novice athletes, and was positively associated with performance and interest in team-bonding. Regression analyses revealed that α-amylase reactivity explained individual differences in dominance and team bonding above and beyond that associated with cortisol reactivity, and that joint inactivation in α-amylase and cortisol reactivity to competition (low-low) was associated with high perceived dominance. The findings are among the first to integrate salivary α-amylase into the study of competition and reveal that intra-individual change in α-amylase may be influenced by a confluence of factors that include contextual, behavioral, and psychological factors and processes.
KW - Competition
KW - Cortisol
KW - Experience
KW - Gender
KW - Salivary α-amylase
KW - Stress
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U2 - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2006.01.007
DO - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2006.01.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 16624493
AN - SCOPUS:33646531428
SN - 0306-4530
VL - 31
SP - 703
EP - 714
JO - Psychoneuroendocrinology
JF - Psychoneuroendocrinology
IS - 6
ER -