Year

2026

Season

Spring

Paper Type

Master's Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science in Psychological Science (MSPS)

Department

Psychological and Brain Sciences

NACO controlled Corporate Body

University of North Florida. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Committee Chairperson

Dr. Paul Fuglestad

Second Advisor

Dr. Dan Richard

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Third Advisor

Dr. Paul Argott

Department Chair

Dr. Lori Lange

Abstract

The present study examined the relationship between personality traits, physiological stress responses, and subjective stress during a social-evaluative stress task, as well as the potential mediating role of heart rate variability (HRV) and moderating role of imagined social support. Participants completed a laboratory-based modified Trier Social Stress Task while HRV was continuously recorded, and self-reported stress was assessed across task phases. Results indicated that neuroticism and protective self-monitoring were associated with higher levels of subjective stress, while acquisitive self-monitoring was associated with greater reductions in stress following the task. Neuroticism was also associated with greater increases in HRV during the stress task, reflecting increased physiological reactivity. However, HRV did not mediate the relationship between personality traits and subjective stress and imagined social support did not significantly moderate these associations. These findings suggest that personality traits play a meaningful role in shaping subjective stress responses, while physiological responses and subjective stress may operate independently. The results highlight the importance of cognitive and emotional processes in stress perception and contribute to a more integrated understanding of psychological and physiological stress responses.

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