Physiological Correlates of Arousal: A Metaanalytic Review

Abstract

Background: This paper reviews the physiological correlates of arousal to develop a comprehensive and collective understanding of the physiological correlates of arousal that occurs at different levels, such as emotion, sexual, sleep, mood, cognitive dissonance, and temperament. Objective: Main objective of this review was to have a clear understanding of the various physiological correlates that are associated with arousal. Method: Research articles and books were searched on journals using the keywords ‘physiological correlates of emotional arousal’, ‘physiological correlates of arousal-sleep’, ‘physiological correlates of sexual arousal’. Results and Conclusion: Results from the review indicated that there are numerous correlates of physiological arousal which are based on changes in bodily mechanisms, such as variations in breathing rate, cardiovascular systems, and changes in functioning in certain brain areas.