Individual differences explanation 2 - Type A/B personality Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is the A01 content?
- Type A/B personality
- Western collaborative study
- Application
Who developed the theory of the type A/B personality?
Freidmann
What personality traits do individuals with type A personality have?
- Competitiveness
- Hostility (easily angered, aggressive and intolerant)
- Time urgency (They are fast paced, impatient and multi task to avoid wasting time)
What is the Type B personality?
Differs hugely from type A, much more relaxed, tolerant and less competitive.
What would be the strengths and weaknesses of having a type A personality?
They tend to embrace change are driven and ambitious. However, can be stubborn, workaholics and quick to anger.
What would be the strengths and weaknesses of having a type B personality?
They are more laid back and friendly however, may be impatient and easily bored.
What did Freidman discover in the ‘waiting room’ research?
He observed people in the waiting room for cardiology, he found that the seats were more worn towards the front rather than the back suggesting that people that had heart issues were often highly stressed rather than relaxed back in their seats. Very restless etc.
Who took part in the Western Collabrative Group Study?
Over 3000 Californian men
What was done within the Western Collabrative Group Study?
They evaluated there personality types by asking 25 questions in a structured interview. The questions were surrounding how they may react to different scenarios, the interviewer displayed behaviours that would incite type A behaviours e.g., the interviewer would often interrupt and be aggressive.
What were the findings of the WCGS?
They found that years later, over 200 of those that were amongst the type A group had been diagnosed with CHD. Those that were type A had much lower levels. Type Bs also had higher levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline.
What is the application programme called?
Balance and Thrive
What does the programme aim to do and how does it work?
A stress management programme designed to help Type A individuals reduce stress and improve health by adopting more Type B traits.
It uses relaxation techniques, CBT, and lifestyle changes to lower hostility, impatience, and competitiveness—reducing the risk of stress-related illnesses like heart disease.
Evaluation - Research support
Freidman did a study with pets and asked them to complete a puzzle under stressful and noisy conditions, those with type A became more stressed and had higher levels of adrenaline, those with type B were much lesser stressed. There was no difference between the 2 at resting.
Evaluation - Conflicting evidence
Ragland and Brand found that although Type As may be more susceptible to CHD, there determination etc aided there recovery more so they were more likely to survive heart events.
Evaluation - Culture Bias
The WCGS was heavily cultural bias, the Californias tend to have a high work drive and competitiveness. Can not be vernalised into Non Western individuals who may respond differently to stress.
Evaluation - The role of hostility
Some aspects of the personality are more important than others making them more prone to stress. Hostility was found to have the most correlation with CHD, the personality as a whole does not increase risk of CHD.
