3a - persoanlity & physical health - did Flashcards
survival rates for conscientiousness
Survival rate for high level of conscientiousness was higher (half as likely to die over the 5 years) – 75% survival compared to 55% in average and low conscientiousness
4 pathways for personality and health
1) Direct causation: direct biological link between personality and health e.g., increased blood pressure
2) Correlational: while there is a correlation, personality may not be causing change in health, but another factor
3) Causal chain: personality linked to certain behaviour patterns which may be linked to health
4) Somatogenic: aspects of health causing changes in personality e.g., brain damage
Disease-Prone Personality Types
Personality factors that predict cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Type A and B differ in likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease
Seen on a continuum
Type A and B persoanlity traits
Type A: competitive ambitious, imaptient, aggressive, hostile
Type B: takes life as it comes, uninterested in power and achievement, relaxed
Type A Personality and CVD risk
Maltby, Day & Macaskill (2017):
Large, longitudinal, epidemiological studies: inconsistent findings.
Meta-analyses:
A significant but modest effect of Type A on CVD
Differences in results related to inconsistencies in personality assessments used.
Glass: 3 seperate components of type A
competitively striving for achievement
sense of urgency
Hostility ** toxic component - most associated w cardiovascular disease
Other ‘Disease-Prone’ Personality Types + its common personality type
Type c - increased risk of cancer. Eysneck studied male w lung cancer
Common personality type: high extroversion and low neuroticism (suppress rather than experience emotion)
But studies done w people w cancer at the time so cant establish cause and ef
Type D
= distressed
Type D = increased tendency to experience negative emotion and lack of social resources to help cope w emotions
High in type D worse in recovery/treatment of heart attack and more likely to have increased future risk
Conscientiousness - longevity + bio
Clear link between C and longevity.
Most support for causal behavioural chain mechanism.
high in conscientiousness less likely to experience stress in lives -more organised/less chaotic
Interleukin 6: indicates higher levels of stress and poorer health outcomes
high levels in conscientiousness – cope w stress better or experience less stress in lives
Neuroticism & SES
Effect of neuroticism on longevity mediated by SES: social, educational and financial means
Living in low SES linked w high levels of neuroticism and worse health outcomes
extraversion
Those higher in measure of extraversion higher in excitement seeking and impulsivity were more likely to have died on follow up
Chapman, Roberts & Duberstein (2011):
Positive associations between E and mortality partly explained by smoking.
positive extraversion
Facets of extraversion that are linked w increased longevity
Direct biological link extraversion linked to immune functioning
extraverted gorillas - Weiss
Examined personality predictors of survival.
Extraversion was only personality trait associated w survival
Graph: proportion of gorillas dying decreased as extraversion increased
May represent:
Immune functioning
Stronger social ties/support
Lower cardiovascular disease
Openness to Experience
Good evidence for positive association with longevity
leads to increased engagement cognitive and educational activities
builds a cognitive reserve - protects against dementia