Types A, B And C Personality Flashcards
What are the traits of people with a type A personality?
time urgent - they are very impatient and constantly doing things
competitive - constantly want to win, even when there is no prize
hostile - easily irritated and get angry quickly
What is a Type B personality?
People with type B behaviour patterns take a more measured approach to life than type A’s. Although they may share the same ambitions, they do not perceive urgency or competition in trying to achieve them. People with a Type B personality are more relaxed and more self confident.
What is a Type C personality?
introverted - they like to keep to themselves
meticulous - they like to complete work to a high standard, focusing on the details
dependable - they will please others even when it may disadvantage themselves
What are Type A personalities more likely to suffer from?
Coronary heart disease or high blood pressure
What are Type B personalities more likely to suffer from?
few stress related health problems than Type A
What are Type C personalities more likely to suffer from?
Prone to some types of cancer as well as depression associated with stress because of their high levels of perfectionism and their inability to share emotions
What are Type D personality traits?
irritable - they worry often and become agitated quickly
pessimistic - they often think negatively, although they do not often share this with others for fear of rejection
obedient/conformist - they like to do what is expected of them
What are Type D personalities more prone to?
Depression
Anxiety
Cardiovascular disease
What did Friedman and Rosenman research?
Studied 3200 American males for 8.5 years and found that Type A personality traits were associated with higher rates of heart problems. In total, 257 developed CHD over this time period. Of those, 70% had Type A personalities. Twice as many Type A’s as Type B’s died from heart attacks over the 8.5 years, although some Type Bs did suffer heart attacks. Also, many Type As recover well after non fatal heart attacks because of their increased likelihood of being more determined to improve their health.
What did Morris et al find evidence of?
That Type C females showed higher rates of cancer than other personality types. They suggested this could be the result of poor immune function, which could be caused from repressing emotions
finish the evaluation : by understanding that certain personality traits may make a person more vulnerable to the negative effects of stress
Psychologists may be able to identify people who are high risk and help to advise them on behaviour patterns that could protect them from the stress.
finish the evaluation : people do not easily fall into one ‘type’ of personality, and may show different behaviour patterns or traits in different situations and at different times.
This makes the usefulness of this research problematic because the categories themselves may not be that reliable.
finish the evaluation: gender bias
The research conducted by Friedman and rosenman was based on 3200 American males. This means that because the study was carried out on male participants it can not be generalised to the wider population (women) making the research lacking in external validity because it is androcentric.
