individual - hardiness

• Who proposed the idea of hardiness and what is hardiness?

  Kobasa; hardiness is an aspect of personality, a set of characteristics some people have.

  
  

  Her coworker Maddi; hardiness gives us existential courage to deal with stress and the determination to keep going despite all the setbacks of life and uncertainties.
• What are the 3 Cs that make up a hardy personality?

  Commitment

  Control

  Challenge

  
  

  These help deal with stress, which is the definition of a hardy personality.
• What was Maddis research on hardiness?

  Procedure -

  -several years studying 400 managers and supervisers at a telephone company in the US.

  -the company underwent a reorganisation, many loosing jobs, and those who stayed became very stressed.

  
  

  Findings -

  -there were 3 significant declines in performance and health in about two-thirds of ppts.

  -outcomes included heart attacks, strokes, depression

  -one third of managers flourished, health did not deterioate, felt happier, and loved the work load

  -the managers scored higher on the three Cs, the reorganisation was a challenge to them that they were able to overcome.
• Evaluation - real world application


  strength;

  - Bartone; measured hardiness in candidates applying for positions in the US army special forces. Applicants underwent a 4 week tough programme. Researchers found those who passed had high levels of hardiness. The US now applies people with high hardiness.

  - knowledge of hardiness can be useful within certain jobs.
• Evaluation - research support

  strength;

  - Contrada; studied cardiovascualr responses in men to a stressful task in lab conditions. Those who had high level of hardiness had low levels of blood pressure in response to a stressor (also had type B personailty).

  - This shows hardiess can protect people from stress related illness.
• Evaluation - concept too broad

  limitation;

  - disagreement over relative contributions of the 3 Cs.

  - Hull; recommended research only focus on control, this because there is a large amount of research that focuses on the importance of personal control