Stress and Sociocultural Learning: Individuals with More Stress-Reactive Physiologies are Quicker to Learn Diverse Sociocultural Norms from Experiential Feedback

Abstract: The current research examines a novel antecedent of people’s ability to learn diverse sociocultural norms: the reactivity of their hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the body’s stress system. Extensive research shows that people’s interactions with individuals from backgrounds other than their own are stressful, and failing to follow appropriate social norms in such settings can exacerbate stress. Although stress is typically considered a liability, more stress-reactive individuals may be more motivated to learn diverse sociocultural norms to avoid subsequent transgressions and negative feedback. A pilot study found that people genetically inclined to stress-reactivity learned unfamiliar sociocultural norms from experiential feedback more quickly. Studies 1-2 replicated these findings using changes in cortisol levels, and self-perceived stress reactivity. Finally, Study 3 provided evidence for domain specificity: although stress reactivity was associated with slower learning on a general learning task, it was associated with faster learning in a sociocultural learning task.

Keywords: diversity; learning; norms; stress reactivity; cortisol