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Psyc 332 > Textbook Chapter 8 > Flashcards

Textbook Chapter 8 Flashcards

1
Q

trait approach has become so entrenched in personality research today that, for many psychologists…

A

personality research is SYNONYMOUS with measuring and examining traits

using trait measures has become part of the arsenal for experimenters

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2
Q

5 areas of research that illustrate the breadth and depth of the trait approach

A
  1. achievement and achievement motivation
  2. Type A behaviour pattern and measures of hostility
  3. social anxiety/shyness
  4. individual differences in emotions
  5. optimism and pessimism
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3
Q

Murray’s need for achievement

A

desire to “accomplish something difficult; to master, manipulate or organize…to overcome obstacles and attain a high standard; to excel one’s self”

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4
Q

how do people assess the need for achievement?

A

using the TAT

test takers CREATE STORIES about scenes they see in TAT cards

investigators then use objective coding systems to obtain a need for achievement score from the stories

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5
Q

TAT test for need for achievement

A

time consuming

subject to Qs about the interpretation of scores

so now, investigators often rely on easier-to-administer self report inventories to assess achievement motivation

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6
Q

fact that scores for achievement motivation are different between TAT and self report scales has led to what?

A

led to suggestion that there are 2 kinds of achievement motivation

  1. IMPLICIT motive (assessed by TAT)

^ come into play in spontaneous actions

  1. SELF-ATTRIBUTED/EXPLICIT motive (we can readily describe)

^ come into play when we have time to ponder achievement options and decisions

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7
Q

early investigators discovered that people with a need for achievement don’t always fit…

A

the stereotypes for a highly successful business person

ie. one prominent feature of high need achievers is that they’re MODERATE risk takers (not high risk takers)

^ highly motivated to succeed, but also to AVOID FAILURE

desire to achieve doesn’t mean they ignore the possibility of failure

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8
Q

what kind of jobs are attractive to high need achievers?

A

routine/boring jobs hold no more interest for high need achievers than they do for anyone else

  1. jobs that require CREATIVITY and provide OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT THEY CAN DO are very appealing
  2. prefer jobs that give them PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for OUTCOMES

^ want concrete feedback about their performance

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9
Q

explanation for why high need achievers often end up in the business world

A

because of their need for personal responsibility for outcomes and their need for feedback

in business, sales, productivity and profit figures provide CONSTANT PERFORMANCE BAROMETERS

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10
Q

can parents promote high achievement motivation?

A
  1. promote achievement motivation by providing SUPPORT and ENCOURAGEMENT long enough to enable child to develop sense of PERSONAL COMPETENCE

^ as long as child isn’t robbed of independence and initiative

about finding FINE LINE between too much PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT and not enough

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11
Q

two edged sword of high need for achievement

A
  1. more likely to find economic prosperity
  2. can also INTERFERE WITH EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE

^ delegating authority and managing others is important to success

^ someone too concerned with their own effective performance might struggle to relinquish control and rely on subordinates

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12
Q

much early achievement work was conducted only with…

A

male participants

later found that need for achievement predicts SUCCESS in the business world for BOTH GENDERS

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13
Q

although success in business world is predicted by high need achievement for both genders…

A

studies suggest that MANY OTHER VARIABLES come into play when comparing the achievement behaviour of men and women

  1. men and women THINK ABOUT ACHIEVEMENT DIFFERENTLY

^ differ on kinds of achievement they value and where achievement in the business world lies in relation to their personal goals

  1. differ in way they DEFINE SUCCESS
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14
Q

example of how men and women see achievement differently

A

ie. businesswoman might value achievement, but occasionally might put other concerns (like customer welfare or family) above work achievement

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15
Q

how do women and men differ in the way they define success

A

WOMEN: more likely to rely on INTERNAL definitions of success

^ ie. if they accomplished what they set out to do

MEN: more likely to see success in terms of EXTERNAL STANDARDS

^ gaining prestige or recognition for accomplishments

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16
Q

achievement behaviour in diff cultures

A

INDIVIDUALISTIC: achievement is defined in terms of PERSONAL accomplishments

  • see themselves in COMPETITION with coworkers

COLLECTIVIST: success is defined in terms of COOPERATION and GROUP ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • individual recognition is not sought or needed
  • motivated to HELP COWORKERS succeed
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17
Q

attributions and achievement

A

many psychologists = interested in EXPLANATIONS people generate for WHY they do WELL or POORLY in achievement situations

the answer determines how:
1. we FEEL about the performance
2. we PERFORM in similar situations in the FUTURE

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18
Q

3 dimensions of attribution

A
  1. stability
  2. locus
  3. control
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19
Q

stability dimension of attributions

A

STABLE OR UNSTABLE

stable: good coordination, poor math attitude

unstable: good luck, illness (a cold)

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20
Q

locus dimension of attributions

A

INTERNAL or EXTERNAL

internal: extra effort, poor skills

external: easy test, difficult competition

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21
Q

control dimension of attributions

A

CONTROLLABLE or INCONTROLLABLE

controllable: high motivation, not enough practice

incontrollable: from wealthy family, weak national economy

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22
Q

by examining attributions along the 3 dimensions, what can researcher do?

A

PREDICT how people RESPOND to successes or failures

ie. enhanced sense of well-being if reason for success attributed as internal

ie. winning tennis when opponent had sun in their eyes won’t feel that great (external attribution)

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23
Q

how person responds to future events often…

A

depends on PERCEIVED STABILITY of the cause of the performance

ie. if you attribute a loss to UNSTABLE BAD LUCK, you’ll prob keep playing the sport - explains why people continue to do sports despite losing

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24
Q

most of us attribute our losses to…

A

UNSTABLE SOURCES

keeps our hope of winning next time alive

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25
Q

relatively easy way to improve achievement motivation

A

change people’s ATTRIBUTIONS

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26
Q

college students attributional reframing session study

A

college students - got their grades back from psychology midterm

then half of them went to an ATTRIBUTION RETRAINING SESSION

were told many freshmen struggle with their classes but that CHANGE IS POSSIBLE

^ encouraged to make CONTROLLABLE ATTRIBUTION for their performance ie. I must learn to study efficiently

RESULTS: retraining condition students did BETTER on their next exam AND the attributional training helped them in other classes

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27
Q

college students attributional reframing study results

A

those attending attributional reframing study…

  1. did better on following psychology exam
  2. retraining helped them in other classes
  3. had HIGHER OVERALL GPAs than those who didn’t have the training
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28
Q

achievement goals

A

provide targets people aspire to in achievement situations

2 categories: MASTERY goals and PERFORMANCE goals

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29
Q

mastery goals

A

concerned with DEVELOPING COMPETENCE

ie. working hard to learn course subject matter

satisfaction comes from SENSE OF PROFICIENCY and feeling they UNDERSTAND the material

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30
Q

performance goals

A

concerned with DEMONSTRATING accomplishment to OTHERS

ie. wanting to get the highest grade in the class

satisfaction comes from RECEIVING RECOGNITION that comes with achievement

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31
Q

2 other categories of goals

A

APPROACH and AVOIDANCE goals

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32
Q

achievement goal framework

A

incorporates mastery vs performance and approach vs avoidance goals into a 2x2 matrix

VALENCE: positive/APPROACH vs negative/AVOIDANCE

DEFINITION: MASTERY (absolute/intrapersonal) vs normative (PERFORMANCE)

4 products:
a) approach mastery goal
b) approach performance goal
b) avoidance mastery goal
c) avoidance mastery goal

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33
Q

4 products of the achievement goal framework

A
  1. approach mastery goal
  2. approach performance goal
  3. avoidance mastery goal
  4. avoidance performance goal
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34
Q

achievement goal framework: students wanting to learn hard material (mastery goal) can…

A

be motivated by either

1) approach goal: achieve a sense of mastery

2) avoidance goal: wish to not feel incompetent

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35
Q

are some achievement goals more effective than others?

A

although both mastery and performance goals motivate people to achieve, people find DIFFS between people who seek competence and those who focus on recognition

  1. consistent findings that MASTERY GOALS lead to HIGH ACHIEVEMENT
  2. MASTERY GOALS lead to LONGER INFO/SKILL RETAINING
  3. GROUP WORK implications: people who rely on PERFORMANCE GOALS are more COMPETITIVE
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36
Q

students motivated by mastery goals often choose more… and are more…

A
  1. choose MORE CHALLENGING TASKS
  2. are MORE INTERESTED in their classes (ie. choosing a class you are fascinated by versus choosing an easy a)

than those who choose performance goals

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37
Q

MASTERY GOALS lead to LONGER INFO/SKILL RETAINING

A

often continue to pursue the knowledge/skill after the assessment has passed

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38
Q

GROUP WORK implications: people who rely on PERFORMANCE GOALS are…

A

more competitive

mastery orientation people = more likely to SHARE INFO WITH OTHERS and work to achieve COMMON GOALS

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39
Q

but is reliance on performance goals all bad?

A

no

both mastery and performance goals can lead to achievement

possible to aspire to BOTH MASTERY and RECOGNITION of accomplishments

BUT advantages of focusing on performance appear to be limited…

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40
Q

advantages of focusing on performance appear to be limited…

A

limited to APPROACH goals

students motivated only by desire to NOT RECEIVE POOR GRADES tend to DO MORE POORLY than those who come to class with other achievement goals

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41
Q

higher levels of motivation and learning when teachers…

A

emphasize MASTERY and IMPROVING SKILLS

sadly, many schools take opposite approach of emphasizing grades, competition among students, threats of poor performance

many students don’t respond well to these incentives

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42
Q

focus on performance rather than learning can often…

A

lead to a decrease in academic motivation

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43
Q

what did doctors notice about heart attack victims?

A

they were more active, energetic, more driving than those without cardiovascular problems

they seemed to have DIFF PERSONALITIES

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44
Q

coronary-prone behaviour pattern

A

combo of behaviours associated with coronary disease

later called Type A-Type B or sometimes just Type A

isn’t a true typology though - its a TRAIT CONTINUUM with extreme Type A people on one end and extreme Type B on the other

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45
Q

Type A - coronary-prone behaviour pattern

A
  1. strongly motivated to achieve and overcome obstacles
  2. attracted to competition
  3. enjoy power and recognition
  4. easily aroused to anger and action
  5. dislike wasting time - like efficiency
  6. like to do more than one thing at a time
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46
Q

Type B - coronary-prone behaviour pattern

A
  1. relaxed and unhurried
  2. may work hard on occasion, but not in the driven, compulsive manner of Type A people
  3. less likely to seek competition
  4. less likely to be aroused to anger/arousal
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47
Q

type A people find easygoing people…

A

a source of frustration

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48
Q

3 major components of Type A trait

A
  1. higher COMPETITIVE ACHIEVEMENT STRIVING (CAS)
    (regardless of outside pressure/deadlines)
  2. sense of TIME URGENCY
    (feel time is important and shouldn’t be wasted)
  3. respond to frustrating situations with ANGER and HOSTILITY
    (most significant component)
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49
Q

describing Type A and Type B personality differences in terms of a motivation for…

A

CONTROL

  • achievement striving, time urgency and hostility reflect Type A desire to EXERCISE EFFECTIVE CONTROL over others and situations
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50
Q

evidence for Type A people’s motivation for control

A
  1. less likely to give up control over a task (even to a more qualified person)
  2. tend to dominate group discussion
  3. more likely to want something after being told they can’t have it
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51
Q

do Type A or Type B people achieve more?

A

lab studies find Type A people outperform Type B people on ACHIEVEMENT tasks

why?

  1. they set HIGHER GOALS
  2. they are COMPETITIVE
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52
Q

Type A and competition - physiological effects

A

sometimes Type A BLOOD PRESSURE and HEART RATE go up simply when told they’re going to compete against another person

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53
Q

Type A and Type B - academic performance

A
  1. type A people take MORE CLASSES
  2. type A people EXPECT to DO BETTER in those classes
  3. get more ACADEMIC HONOURS
  4. participate in MORE EXTRACURRICULARS
  5. play more SPORTS and get more ATHLETIC AWARDS
  6. participate in more SOCIAL ACTIVITIES in high school
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54
Q

type A men in 8.5 year study on heart disease…

A

type a men had MORE THAN TWICE the incidence of heart disease than type B men

but connection between type A and health is MORE COMPLICATED than og research suggested

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55
Q

type A has been found to be better predictor of heart disease than…

A
  1. cholesterol level
  2. cigarette smoking
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56
Q

answer to inconsistent findings on Type A and heart disease

A

breaking Type A up into its components

when we measure Type A, we’re collapsing more than one trait

HOSTILITY is the culprit

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57
Q

hostility - Type A people

A

people high in hostility aren’t necessarily violent or even bossy

rather, they have STRONG REACTIONS to the SMALL FRUSTRATIONS and INCONVENIENCES that we all experience

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58
Q

people high in hostility respond to even minor annoyances with…

A

expressions of:

  • antagonism
  • disagreeableness
  • rudeness
  • surliness
  • criticalness
  • uncooperativeness

most of us have learned to take inconveniences in stride, but some become highly irritated

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59
Q

hostility synonyms

A

anger, aggression

60
Q

scores on hostility/anger measures predict…

A

coronary artery disease pretty well

study followed 12 986 healthy men and women for 4.5 years

participants who scored high on hostility were:

  1. more 2x AS LIKELY to suffer SOME FORM of coronary heart disease during this time
  2. nearly 3x TIMES AS LIKELY to be HOSPITALIZED or DIE from heart disease during the study
61
Q

why is hostility related to cardiovascular problems?

A
  1. unhealthy lifestyles
  2. poor social support
  3. immune system weaknesses
  4. blood lipid levels
  5. high blood pressure
62
Q

blood pressure response to social interactions study setup

A

men wore BLOOD PRESSURE MONITOR for entire day

KEPT RECORD of their ACTIVITIES/MOODS throughout the day

63
Q

blood pressure response to social interactions study results

A

those high in hostility showed ELEVATED LEVELS OF BP when they INTERACTED WITH OTHERS

the low BP people showed no such reaction

  • high hostility people found their convos frustrating/annoying > led to higher BP
64
Q

blood pressure response to social interactions study results CAVEAT

A

high blood pressure WOMEN didn’t have this reaction (higher BP when interacting with others)

maybe this is because women generally find social interactions more pleasant and less frustrating than men do

65
Q

can programs designed to help potential cardiovascular victims reduce their anger responses

A

these can be effective

they train anger-prone people to REPLACE their initial anger reactions with RELAXATION

encouraging thinking about the situation DIFFERENTLY - keep events in perspective, realize there are more adaptive responses than anger

especially effective for ROAD RAGE sufferers

66
Q

is Type A bad for your health?

A

nope

workaholics who push themselves should be fine

as long as they don’t let minor setbacks and little frustrations upset them

it’s possible to be PRODUCTIVE and HEALTHY

67
Q

percentage of people surveyed who identify themselves as shy

A

40%

another 40-50% say they HAVE BEEN shy or are shy in CERTAIN SITUATIONS

only a small percentage of people don’t know the pain of social anxiety or shyness

68
Q

social anxiety

A

anxiety related specifically to SOCIAL INTERACTIONS or ANTICIPATED SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

composed of many of the usual anxiety symptoms:
- increased physiological arousal
- inability to concentrate
- feelings of nervousness

but SPECIFICALLY attribute the source of their discomfort to the SOCIAL ENCOUNTER

69
Q

other names for social anxiety

A

SHYNESS

dating anxiety

communication anxiety

reticence

stage fright

70
Q

social anxiety = introversion?

A

no

introverts often CHOOSE to be by themselves

but vast majority of socially anxious people DON’T LIKE their shyness

  • 2/3rds call their social anxiety a “real problem”
  • 1/4 are willing to seek professional help
71
Q

characteristics of socially anxious people

A
  • feel awkward and nervous
  • very concerned about what others will think of them (esp new people)
  • often think about what they’re doing wrong
  • think they sound stupid/foolish
  • stumble over words, say the wrong thing
  • outside signs of nervousness (perspiration, shaking)
  • feel embarrassed/ashamed of what they’re saying
  • more likely to blush
  • can’t think of things to say, fall into silence
72
Q

people who interact with socially anxious people notice…

A

notice their anxiety

identify shy people as:

  1. more TENSE
  2. more INHIBITED
  3. more UNFRIENDLY

than nonshy people

73
Q

conversations with socially anxious people…

A

are generally LESS PLEASANT than conversations with non-anxious people

74
Q

shy people aren’t introverts…

A

most of them would like to have a LARGER SOCIAL NETWORK than they do

would like more PEOPLE TO TURN TO when they need help

but their shyness keeps them from developing more friends/from asking for help

75
Q

shy people and asking for help

A

shy people are more reluctant to ask for help

study where task could only be completed with assistance - socially anxious people were MORE RELUCTANT to ask a nearby person for help

76
Q

wrong assumption made by socially anxious people

A

assume that people AREN’T INTERESTED in getting to know them

perhaps this is why they interpret feedback received from other people in a negative light

77
Q

after series of partner tasks, socially anxious people felt…

A
  1. like they were LESS LIKED
  2. and that they’d come across as LESS COMPETENT

than non-anxious people did

78
Q

people high in social anxiety expect what from their social interactions? what goes this cause them to do?

A

they expect their social interactions to GO POORLY

leads them to LOOK FOR EVIDENCE that the other person is REJECTING them

this pessimism can cause the social rejection that they fear in the first place

79
Q

what do people sometimes mistake shyness for?

A
  1. lack of interest
  2. lack of intelligence
80
Q

shy teens and friends and romantic relationships

A
  1. shy teens have LESS FRIENDS
  2. shy teens have LESS SATISFYING ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS (even in longterm relationships)
81
Q

underlying cause of social anxiety

A

evaluation apprehension

82
Q

evaluation apprehension

A

being afraid of what others think of you

particular fear of negative evaluation

worry that someone will find you foolish, boring, immature

83
Q

how do socially anxious people deal with fear of negative evaluation?

A

often, by AVOIDING SOCIAL INTERACTIONS altogether

skip parties, avoid blind dates, opt for papers instead of class presentations

84
Q

eye contact and socially anxious people

A

they avoid eye contact

this reduces the amount of social interaction

limits the opportunities for others to evaluate them

85
Q

shy people and conversations

A

keep conversation SHORT and NONTHREATENING

limit the amount of PERSONAL INFO they reveal to person they’ve just met

86
Q

shy people and storytelling experiment

A

had people tell four personal stories

some of the Ps believed interviewer would use these stories to EVALUATE them later

socially anxious people who thought they were going to be evaluated told SHORTER and LESS REVEALING stories than other Ps

they were worried about leaving poor impression on the interviewer

87
Q

shyness experiment - 5 min “get acquainted” conversation

A

had to have a 5 min “get acquainted” convo with someone they had just met

examined tapes of these and found SEVERAL DIFFERENCES in the ways shy and nonshy Ps acted

  1. shy people = more likely to AGREE with what the other person said
  2. often merely RESTATED or CLARIFIED their partner’s remarks when it was their turn to talk
88
Q

shy people’s conversation tactics in the “get acquainted” convo were a way of…

A

way of creating an IMAGE OF POLITENESS and INTEREST

without becoming TOO INVOLVED in the conversation

in this way, they hope to MINIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES for this person to find SMTG OBJECTIONABLE about them

89
Q

higher rates of shyness in what kinds of cultures?

A

cultures that emphasize:

  1. CONCERN about what OTHERS THINK about you
  2. AVOIDING CRITICISM

ie. collectivist cultures - more concern about fitting in

90
Q

shy people’s interaction styles are a type of…

A

self-protective strategy

do what they can to control the impressions others have of them

91
Q

but once they get started, shy people…

A

have little difficulty interacting with others

at least for some shy people, it’s INITIATING a convo that’s the real stumbling block

92
Q

shy and nonshy convo study with opp sex partneer

A

shy and nonshy Ps were left alone to carry on a convo with an opposite sex partner

although nonshy people spoke MORE OFTEN and were MORE LIKELY TO BREAK SILENCE…

there was NO DIFF in HOW LONG these groups spoke when they did say something

^ points to how, once they get started, shy people are totally capable of having conversations

93
Q

when else do shy people find their anxiety less of a problem?

A

when with FRIENDS

ie. shy students are more likely than nonshy students to eat lunch with a friend

and just having a FRIEND PRESENT is often enough to alleviate negative thoughts that surface when shy people are forced to interact with strangers

94
Q

when a friend was present, shy people were…

A

JUST AS LIKELY as nonshy Ps to…

  1. describe themselves in a POSITIVE MANNER
  2. to DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFO

to a stranger

95
Q

maybe what shy people lack is really…

A

the CONFIDENCE in their ability to MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION

fear of saying something wrong keeps them from saying anything

so, therapy programs often focus on helping people overcome shyness through getting clients to believe they can say the right thing and make a good impression

96
Q

emotions in relation to personality

A

while each of us experiences a wide range of positive and negative emotions…

we can also identify RELATIVELY STABLE patterns in emotions

that DISTINGUISH each person from the people around them

97
Q

emotions analysed along major dimensions

A

like with the Big Five personality dimensions, researchers have found that there are a few major dimensions

determined using factor analysis - some emotions DO GO TOGETHER

look at emotions as indicated by self-report inventories, use of words, facial expressions, and evaluations from others

ie. people who are happy also tend to be enthusiastic, those who are irritable are also often sad

98
Q

2 general dimensions of affect

A
  1. positive affect
  2. negative affect
99
Q

positive affect dimension

A

one extreme: ACTIVE, CONTENT, SATISFIED

other extreme: SAD, LETHARGIC

100
Q

negative affect dimension

A

one extreme: NERVOUSNESS, ANGER, DISTRESS

other extreme: CALM, SERENE

101
Q

our general tendencies to experience positive affect and negative affect…

A

are relatively STABLE over time

102
Q

emotional affectivity

A

patterns of relative NEGATIVE or POSITIVE affect possessed by an individual

stable across time

103
Q

relationship between positive and negative affect

A

initial investigations suggested these two dimensions are RELATIVELY INDEPENDENT from one another

but later studies found that being HIGH ON ONE of these dimensions means being LOW ON THE OTHER (and vice versa)

ie. the more I experience happiness and contentment, the less I experience anger and anxiety

BUT STILL NEEDS RESEARCH - LIKELY MORE COMPLEX THAN RESEARCHERS INITIALLY REALIZED

104
Q

complexity of relationship between positive and negative affect

A

most people can identify a time when they felt a little bit happy and a little bit sad simultaneously

or bittersweet emotions when watching a movie or recalling a memory

105
Q

behaviours predicted by individual differences in positive and negative affect

A
  1. people high in trait POSITIVE affect tend to be in BETTER HEALTH than those low in this dimension
  2. people high in trait POSITIVE affect tend to be high in SOCIAL ACTIVITY (and have a better time at these events)
  3. people high in trait POSITIVE affect are more likely to be involved in ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP (and are more satisfied with their partners)
106
Q

why is positive affect related to social activity?

A

could be because social activity CAUSES positive affect

and because some people are more social, they experience more positive emotions

but also possible that people may engage in social activity because they experience positive affect

107
Q

study: social activity and positive emotions

A

each week for 13 consecutive weeks…

students completed scale of POSITIVE and NEGATIVE MOOD

and a questionnaire indicating HOW OFTEN they’d engaged in each of 15 diff SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

ie. attending a party, having a serious discussion, going to a movie/concert

THE MORE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES ENGAGED IN DURING THE WEEK, THE HIGHER THE POSITIVE AFFECT THAT WEEK

108
Q

support for idea that people may seek out social interaction because they experience positive affect

A

studies find that when we feel good, we’re more likely to:

  1. seek out friends
  2. act friendly towards people we meet
109
Q

people high in trait positive affect also act in ways that…

A

most people find attractive

which leads to more friends and social activity

video recordings of convos - found high positive affect Ps were rated as MORE PLEASANT and ENGAGING than low positive affect Ps

110
Q

high positive affect people - conflict reports and disagreements

A

report FEWER CONFLICTS with friends

more likely to be ACCOMMODATING in disagreements with romantic partners

111
Q

positive traits associated with people high in positive affect

A
  • less argumentative
  • more accommodating
  • happy
  • enthusiastic
  • attentive
  • pleasant
  • engaging
112
Q

high scores on negative affect are generally related to…

A
  1. psychological stress
  2. diverse list of emotional problems
  3. complaints about health
113
Q

do people high in negative affect really suffer from more problems, or do they simply complain more?

A

evidence that they complain more (flu study)

but

also could be that they GENUINELY DO experience more symptoms

114
Q

negative affect flu study - do they suffer more truly, or just complain more?

A

study exposed volunteers to cold and flu viruses

quarantined them in a hotel for several days

were monitored for REAL symptoms and provided DAILY SELF REPORTS of their PERCEIVED SYMPTOMS

Ps characteristically high in negative affect REPORTED MORE COLD AND FLU SYMPTOMS

but when experimenters look at ACTUAL symptoms, they found NO DIFF between those high and low in negative affect

115
Q

negative affect rheumatoid arthritis - do they truly suffer more, or just complain more?

A

7 year study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

patients high in negative affect reported:

  1. MORE symptoms generally
  2. more SEVERE symptoms

BUT they also had HIGHER levels of PHYSICAL AILMENTS that couldn’t be explained away by their tendency to focus on the negative

116
Q

why should different levels of negative affect be related to one’s physical health?

A

no clear answers as of yet

  1. maybe those high in negative affect have DIFFICULTY dealing with STRESS
    ^subsequently affects their health
  2. maybe MOOD affects health-related BEHAVIOUR
    ^high and low negative affect people may have diff exercise, eating, health habits
  3. maybe people who suffer more health issues BECOME more NEGATIVE about their health GENERALLY
117
Q

affect intensity

A

strength or degree to which people typically experience their emotions

two people can have the same average affect level across a 2 week period, but one can experience much bigger highs and lows while the other remains steady

118
Q

poles of affect intensity

A
  1. LOW: people who respond to emotional situations with MILD REACTIONS
  2. HIGH: people who respond to emotional situations with STRONG EMOTIONAL REACTIONS

^ experience emotions more intensely and tend to be more variable
^ experience strong negative AND positive emotions
^ peaks and valleys

119
Q

affect intensity spectrum and emotion awareness

A

people HIGH in affect intensity are MORE AWARE of their emotions

may SPEND MORE TIME thinking about and reliving emotional experiences

120
Q

difference between high and low affect intensity people lies in…

A

how they REACT to events

they experience the same amount of intense/emotionally loaded events

but they react with varying levels of emotion

121
Q

even relatively mild situations…

A

can evoke strong reactions in high-intensity individuals

122
Q

high intensity affect people and predicting hypothetical reactions

A

high intensity affect people tend to OVERESTIMATE the extent to which events will affect them

often draw UNWARRANTED CONCLUSIONS based on one good or bad experience

ie. a friendly smile signals a blossoming relationship, and a bad grade the end of the world

123
Q

is it better to be high on affect intensity and experience life vividly, or low on this dimension and maintain calm and steadyness?

A

aka how does affect intensity relate to WELLBEING

high and low affect intensity people tend to SCORE ABOUT THE SAME on measures of HAPPINESS and WELLBEING

(high intensity people experience more positive affect, but this is offset by higher experiences of negative affect)

124
Q

difference in HOW high and low affect individuals EXPERIENCE HAPPINESS

A

HIGH intensity people: happiness means lots of EXHILARATING/ENLIVENING experiences

LOW intensity people: CALM and ENDURING sense of CONTENTMENT

125
Q

affect intensity: scientists versus artists

A

SCIENTISTS: tend to be low in affect intensity

ARTISTS: tend to be high in affect intensity

126
Q

emotional expressiveness

A

refers to a person’s OUTWARD DISPLAYS of emotion

some “wear emotions on their sleeves”/we can “read them like a book”

relatively STABLE DIFFERENCES in the extent to which we express our emotions
- continuum of high to low expressiveness

127
Q

gender and expressivity

A

women tend to be more expressive than men

women also tend to be better at reading the emotions in other people’s faces

128
Q

emotional expressivity and how we get along with others

A

importantly related

the more people express their emotions, the FEWER PROBLEMS they have in romantic relationships

communication is better when partners understand what the other person is feeling

129
Q

people who express their emotions freely tend to experience les…

A

confusion when trying to read another person’s emotions

130
Q

expressing emotions and psychological health

A
  1. expressing emotions = good for psychological health

study: people completed WELLBEING MEASURES and kept DAILY records of their MOODS for 21 consecutive days

results: highly expressive Ps were HAPPIER and experienced LESS ANXIETY/GUILT than those who were low in expressiveness

  1. expressive people tend to be lower in DEPRESSION
131
Q

positive outlook often associated with…

A
  1. high achievement
  2. positive mood
132
Q

positive outlook and heart transplant

A

Ps were asked about their expectations before heart transplant surgery

those with positive expectations did MUCH BETTER job at ADJUSTING TO LIFE after the surgery than those with a more pessimistic outlook

133
Q

dispositional optimism

A

relatively stable degree of pessimism/optimism possessed by a person

134
Q

optimism and achievement

A

optimists achieve more

  1. set HIGHER goals
  2. PRIORITIZE goals effectively
  3. BELIEVE they can reach their goals
135
Q

optimism: what’s the mechanism behind their success?

A

having CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY

optimists don’t let setbacks and temporary failures get them down

136
Q

optimism and pessimism: culture

A

individualistic cultures: more optimistic

collectivist cultures: more pessimistic

ie. study had Canadian and Japanese students estimate likelihood that certain events would happen to them (ie. live long, get cancer) and Japanese students were more pessimistic

137
Q

when are differences between pessimists and optimists likely to be seen?

A

when people are faced with STRESSFUL EVENTS

138
Q

3 studies on optimism and stressful events

A
  1. people living in Haifa during Persian gulf war - dispositional optimists living in the region experienced LESS ANXIETY and DEPRESSION than those identified as pessimists
  2. caretakers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s - optimistic people experienced LESS STRESS and DEPRESSION than pessimistic caregivers
  3. optimistic Ps who had experienced DEATH/SEVERE ILLNESS of a loved one had FEWER HEALTH PROBLEMS in 18 months following event that pessimists
139
Q

optimism versus pessimism: reactions to health problems and medical procedures

A
  1. optimistic women who had surgery for BREAST CANCER reported LESS DISTRESS during next year

^ and showed HIGHER ADJUSTMENT several years later

  1. rheumatoid ARTHRITIS patients high in optimism scored higher on PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT measures than pessimistic patients did
  2. optimistic men recovering from CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS SURGERY showed better MOOD and QUALITY OF LIFE 6 months after surgery
140
Q

why do optimists deal with stress so much better than pessimists?

A
  1. use DIFF STRATEGIES to COPING with their problems

^ optimists = more likely to TACKLE PROBLEMS HEAD ON

^ pessimists = more likely to DISTRACT themselves, resort to DENIAL

141
Q

optimists versus pessimists: coping with a big exam

A

OPTIMISTS: used direct problem solving
a) prepped for the test
b) talked with other students about their experiences

PESSIMISTS:
a) relied on wishful thinking
b) withdrew from others

142
Q

optimistic cancer patients were more likely to use what kind of coping strategies?

A

active

  1. did what they could to deal with their cancer
  2. talked to other people about it
  3. used humour as coping

while pessimistic patients avoided thinking about it and kept their feelings to themselves, used denial

143
Q

optimism and health

A

good for your health

  1. optimists tend to be in BETTER PHYSICAL HEALTH
144
Q

why do optimists generally have better physical health?

A
  1. optimists develop wide SOCIAL NETWORKS - turn to friends in times of crisis

^ and social support contributes to better health

  1. PHYSIOLOGICAL changes (immune system strength, blood pressure)
  2. optimistic outlook leads to kinds of ATTITUDES and BEHAVIOURS that contribute to good health
145
Q

physiological changes that affect health of optimists and pessimists

A
  1. changes in optimism of law school students were related to changes in IMMUNE SYSTEM STRENGTH
  • when law students were feeling more optimistic, they had stronger immune systems than when they were feeling more pessimistic
  1. because they often experience negative emotions, pessimists also tend to have HIGHER BP
146
Q

optimistic outlook - attitudes and behaviours that lead to good health

A
  1. cardiac rehabilitation program:

^ optimistic patients were more successful in reducing saturated fat in their diet, decreasing body fat, increasing aerobic capacity

^ decided they could reach their rehabilitation GOALS and did what was needed to succeed

  1. PAY ATTENTION to more RELEVANT HEALTH INFO

^ physically active, eat healthier food, less prone to destructive habits like substance abuse

147
Q

fatalistic view taken by pessimists may…

A

prevent them from practicing reasonable health and safety practices

ie. seatbelt, using a designated driver

pessimists (esp those who expect bad things to occur in wide range of situations) were more likely than optimists to be involved in a FATAL CAR CRASH

Psyc 332 (19 decks)

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