Previous research suggests that sex differences in cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) are a function of differences in cognitive appraisal of stressors as masculine-relevant or feminine-relevant tasks. Two studies were conducted to examine the role of the appraised gender relevance of stressors as a mediator of sex differences in CVR. In the first study the CVR of male and female college students (N = 95) to the cold-pressor test (CPT) was compared under masculine-relevant and gender-neutral stressor instructions during an anticipation phase, a stressor phase, and a recovery phase. Men were expected to show greater CVR than women to the masculine-relevant CPT, but not to the gender-neutral CPT. Results supported this prediction for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) reactivity, but not diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity. In the second study the CVR of male and female college students (N = 121) to the CPT was compared under masculine-relevant and female-relevant stressor instructions during an anticipation phase, a stressor phase, and a recovery phase. Men were predicted to show greater CVR than women to the masculine-relevant CPT while women were expected to show greater CVR to the feminine-relevant CPT. Results supported these predictions for SBP, but not HR reactivity. The results for DBP were mixed. Men did not show greater DBP reactivity than women to the masculinerelevant CPT, but women showed greater DBP reactivity than men to the feminine-relevant CPT. The potential influence of sex differences in cognitive appraisal of situations on CVR and coronary heart disease is discussed.