Effects of Nitrous Oxide on Reactions to “Stress”
Roger W. Russell, Hannah Steinberg
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology June 1, 1955 DOI: 10.1080/17470215508416676 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Nitrous oxide |
| Key findings | Nitrous oxide and stress each impaired learning, but when participants were exposed to stress while under the influence of nitrous oxide, the stress-related impairment of subsequent learning was abolished. The authors suggest this may be explained by anxiety reduction or by transfer effects. |
Abstract
It has been demonstrated that exposure to the stress of a situation involving conflict or frustration may interfere significantly with subsequent learning. Behaviour under stress is characterized by experiences of “anxiety” and by widespread physiological changes. Inhalation of nitrous oxide has the general effect of reducing the extent of these symptoms. The present investigation using insoluble and soluble problems has demonstrated that both nitrous oxide and exposure to stress impair learning; but that, when subjects are exposed to stress while under the influence of the drug, the effects of the stress on subsequent learning are abolished. It is suggested that these empirical results may be accounted for either in terms of “anxiety-reduction” or in terms of transfer effects.