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Type A behaviour and time urgency: perception of time adjectives.
K T Mueser1, P R Yarnold, F B Bryant
1Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Pennsylvania at EPPI, Philadelphia 19129.
The British Journal of Medical Psychology
|September 1, 1987
Summary
Type A individuals perceive time differently than Type B individuals. Type As found adjectives low in speed and energy less descriptive of time compared to Type Bs.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Chronopsychology
Background:
- Type A behavior is characterized by competitiveness and time urgency.
- Time perception is a subjective experience influenced by psychological factors.
- Previous research suggests links between personality traits and temporal processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between Type A/B behavior patterns and the perception of time.
- To determine if individuals with extreme Type A or Type B behaviors differ in their adjective-based descriptions of time.
Main Methods:
- Recruited male college undergraduates categorized as extreme Type A (n=26) or Type B (n=28).
- Participants rated the appropriateness of 158 adjectives as descriptors of time.
- Adjectives were independently rated on seven-point Likert scales for 'speed' and 'energy'.
Main Results:
- Type A individuals rated adjectives low in speed and energy as less descriptive of time.
- Type B individuals showed a converse pattern, rating these adjectives as more descriptive.
- Significant differences were found in how Type A and Type B participants described time using specific adjectives.
Conclusions:
- Type A and Type B behavior patterns are associated with distinct ways of perceiving and describing time.
- The study highlights the influence of behavioral tendencies on subjective temporal experiences.
- Future research could explore the underlying cognitive mechanisms driving these perceptual differences.