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Type A behavior, nonverbal expressive style, and health
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|May 1, 1985
Summary
This study reveals subtypes within Type A and Type B behavior patterns, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of their link to heart disease risk and emotional expression is needed.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Behavioral Medicine
Background:
- The relationship between behavior, emotional expression, and heart disease is complex.
- The Type A behavior pattern is a known risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate subtypes within Type A and Type B behavior patterns.
- To explore the links between expressive style, nonverbal cues, personality, and heart disease risk.
Main Methods:
- Sixty high-risk men were assessed using the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) and the Affective Communication Test (ACT).
- Videotapes were analyzed for judged appearance, nonverbal cues, and verbal content.
- Participants were classified into Type A and Type B, with further subtyping based on expressiveness.
Main Results:
- Two distinct Type A subgroups emerged: one repressed and illness-prone, the other healthy and charismatic.
- A subgroup of Type B individuals was identified as submissive, repressed, potentially illness-prone, and having an external locus of control.
Conclusions:
- A refined conception of the Type A behavior pattern is necessary.
- Understanding psychosocial factors and their link to disease requires considering behavioral subtypes and expressiveness.