Individual Differences in Stress

Question 1

Personality

Answer 1

An individuals characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling an acting
Remains relatively stable and can predict individuals reactions based on their personality type

Question 2

Personality Type A

Answer 2

-Competitive and achievement striving
Want to be perfect and be the best
-Impatient and time urgent: always rushing and don’t have time for certain things
-Hostile and aggressive

High blood pressure- increased risk of CHD

Question 3

Personality Type B

Answer 3

Opposite to A
-Relaxed and laid back
-Patient
-Expresses their feelings
-One thing at a time

Less vulnerable to stress-related illness

Question 4

Friedman and Rosenman (1974)

Answer 4

3200 Californian males (39-59yrs)
Questionnaires to label personality type
Followed up after 8.5 years
70% of those who developed CHD were Type A

Question 5

Ragland and Brand (1988)

Answer 5

Suggested that Type A personality doesn’t correlate with CHD
It is sure to other factors such as smoking and low cholesterol levels

Question 6

Personality Type C

Answer 6

-Poor self motivation
-Helpless
-Emotional dysfunction
-External LOC
-Helpless, hopeless, give up and little to no emotional response to stress
-Often depressed
-Related to poor mental health= increase risk of cancer

Question 7

Datore et al (1980)

Answer 7

200ps from Vietnam War
75 had a diagnosis of cancer
Questionnaire to measure repression of their emotions and depression
Those diagnosed with cancer scored higher on the repression questionnaire
Lower on the depression score= may show they don’t actually know they’re depressed
Supports the correlation between Type C and illness

Question 8

Individual differences Personality

Answer 8

People respond to stressors in different ways
Stress is a unique experience for an individual which may be influenced by personality
Biological response to stress is consistent across individuals
How stress is perceived is different