Stress biology and hormesis: the Yerkes-Dodson law in psychology--a special case of the hormesis dose response

Abstract

This article traces the historical foundations of the Yerkes-Dodson Law from its experimental foundations in the first decade of the 20th century, to its recognition as a generalizable phenomenon in multiple species including humans and to more current attempts to understand its molecular basis within the framework of stress-related biological processes. Within this context, the biological and dose-response characteristics of the Yerkes-Dodson Law are evaluated and compared to the hormesis dose-response model. Based on this evaluation, which includes study design analysis, statistical models of multiple factor/chemical interaction, and a comparative assessment of the quantitative features of these respective dose-response relationships and their molecular foundations, the Yerkes-Dodson Law is shown to represent a special case of the general concept of hormesis illustrating the interaction of two independent study variables, which has typically been observed to be an additive response, although not theoretically restricted to one. The conceptual integration of the Yerkes-Dodson Law within the hormetic dose response framework adds further support for the generalization of the hormesis concept.