Personality

• What is a weakness of linking personality to stress-related illnesses?

  There may only be one key factor in personality linked to CHD.
• What did Myrtek's meta-analysis focus on?

  Type A personality and its association with CHD.
• What specific association did Myrtek find in his meta-analysis?

  An association between CHD and hostility alone.
• Why is it significant that hostility alone contributes to CHD?

  It suggests that a specific trait, rather than a cluster of characteristics, is responsible.
• What validity issues arise from research linking Type A personality to CHD?

  There are validity issues with suggesting a link between Type A personality as a whole and CHD.
• What are the key findings from Myrtek's meta-analysis regarding Type A personality and CHD?

  • Focused on Type A personality
  • Found an association between CHD and hostility alone
  • No evidence linking Type A personality as a whole to CHD
• What is a significant issue with research on personality and stress-related illnesses?

  Many supporting studies are only carried out on men.
• Why do researchers argue that psychology's focus on Type A behavior may be biased?

  It may be due to the importance of traditional masculinity in the 1950s/60s.
• What was the sample size of Friedman et al.'s study conducted in 1986?

  800 men and women.
• What were the two groups participants were allocated to in Friedman et al.'s study?

  A treatment group and a control group.
• What type of counseling did the treatment group receive in Friedman et al.'s study?

  Cardiac counseling and Type A counseling.
• What percentage of the treatment group had further problems with CHD?

  13%
• What percentage of the control group had further problems with CHD?

  28%
• What does Friedman’s research suggest about Type A behaviors?

  Both men and women experience Type A behaviors and benefit from strategies to reduce them.
• Why should further research on personality types and stress include both genders?

  To avoid gender bias.
• What type of counseling did the control group receive in Friedman et al.'s study?

  Cardiac counseling only.
• How does the focus on Type A behavior in psychological research reflect societal norms of the 1950s/60s?

  It reflects the importance of traditional masculinity during that time.
• What is a potential issue with research linking Type A personality to coronary heart disease (CHD)?

  Personality may only have an indirect effect on cardiovascular issues.
• In the study by Rosenman et al. (1974), what percentage of Type A participants experienced a heart attack?

  Over 12%
• What percentage of Type B participants experienced a heart attack in the same study?

  Just 6%
• What additional health metrics were found to be higher in Type A participants compared to Type B participants?

  Type A participants had higher blood pressure and higher cholesterol.
• What percentage of Type A participants died of cardiovascular problems?

  1. 7%
• What percentage of Type B participants died of cardiovascular problems?

  1. 1%
• What validity issues arise from the research suggesting a link between Type A personality and CHD?

  There are concerns that Type A personality may only have an indirect effect.
• Why is it important to consider smoking and family history in the context of Type A personality and CHD?

  They may be the true direct causes of cardiovascular issues.
• What is a weakness of linking personality to stress-related illnesses?

  Further studies have found different results.
• What did Ragland and Brand study two decades later?

  The Western Collaborative Group participants.
• What percentage of the men studied by Ragland and Brand had died of CHD?

  About 15%
• What did Ragland and Brand confirm about CHD risk factors?

  They confirmed the importance of age, smoking, and high blood pressure.
• What little evidence did Ragland and Brand find regarding Type A behaviors?

  They found little evidence of a relationship between Type A behaviors and mortality.
• What factors are correlated to CHD according to researchers?

  Smoking and blood pressure.
• Why is the research suggesting a link between personality and stress-related illnesses considered unreliable?

  Because it contradicts findings that smoking and blood pressure are correlated to CHD, not Type A personality.
• What behavior change might have occurred among Type A men after the first phase of the study?

  Many Type A men may have changed their behaviors to reduce stress levels.
• How might reducing stress levels affect Type A men according to the suggestion?

  It could reduce their exposure to adrenaline.