Herbert J, Moore G F, de la Riva C, Watts F N
Biol Psychol. 1986 Jun;22(3):215-26. doi: 10.1016/0301-0511(86)90027-x.
Endocrine and psychological function (measuring both affect and attitudes to study) were studied in 38 male medical students 4 weeks and 1-2 h before a major examination. Anxiety (or tension) and emotionality increased just before the examination, as did the 'denial' subscale of a 'coping' questionnaire. Serum cortisol and prolactin increased; serum testosterone and LH were unchanged. Both urinary noradrenaline and adrenaline were elevated. Increased cortisol correlated with increased prolactin across subjects; so, too, did levels of urinary noradrenaline and adrenaline, but the two sets of endocrine responses were not correlated with each other. Several of the trait scales predicted the endocrine response to the examination. The 'lie' scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire correlated negatively with changes in both cortisol and prolactin, as did 'debilitating' anxiety, as defined by the Alpert-Haber scale. However, although there were no significant correlations between changes in hormone levels and those in any of the state scales, there was some relation between absolute hormone levels on the day of the examination. Measures of academic strategies or psychological responses to examinations do not predict the nature of the considerable hormonal response which occurs in this homogeneous set of high-achieving students.
在38名男性医学生临近期末大考的4周及考前1 - 2小时，对他们的内分泌和心理功能（包括情感和对学习的态度）进行了研究。考试前焦虑（或紧张）及情绪反应增强，“应对”问卷中的“否认”分量表得分也如此。血清皮质醇和催乳素升高；血清睾酮和促黄体生成素未变。尿去甲肾上腺素和肾上腺素均升高。不同受试者中，皮质醇升高与催乳素升高相关；尿去甲肾上腺素和肾上腺素水平也相关，但这两组内分泌反应彼此不相关。几个特质量表可预测对考试的内分泌反应。艾森克人格问卷的“说谎”量表得分与皮质醇和催乳素的变化均呈负相关，阿尔珀特 - 哈伯量表定义的“虚弱性”焦虑得分也如此。然而，尽管激素水平变化与任何状态量表的变化之间无显著相关性，但考试当天的绝对激素水平之间存在一定关系。学业策略或对考试的心理反应指标无法预测这组成绩优异的同质学生中出现的显著激素反应的性质。
