Physiologic Reactions to Social Challenge in Persons Evidencing the Type a Coronary-Prone Behavior Pattern

Abstract

Physiologic measures were recorded in Type A1 (n = 10) and Type B (n = 14) subjects while they engaged in a reaction-time task after receiving instructions emphasizing the need for rapid and accurate performance. Although resting levels were not significantly different, Type A's responded with significantly greater increases than B's in both heart rate and systolic blood pressure, suggesting greater sympathetic arousal. A significant baseline difference between the Types in heart rate variability was also observed suggesting greater lability in sympathetic-parasympathetic function in Type A's. No differences between the Types were obtained for either galvanic skin potential (GSP) or speed of reaction. It is suggested that the paradigm used in the present study offers an inexpensive and efficient means by which cardiovascular reactivity in Type A's and B's may be explored in other and larger groups of subjects.

Traffic congestion, Type A behavior, and stress.

“…Moreover, time-urgent As evidence greater tension and hyperactivity than Bs while performing tasks requiring a low rate of response for reinforcement, and they become more impatient and irritated when they are delayed by co-workers on joint decision-making tasks (Glass, Snyder, & Hollis, 1974). Also relevant to the present study is the finding by Dembroski, MacDougall, and Shields (1977) that Type As manifest significantly greater increases than Bs in both heart rate and systolic blood pressure on reaction time tasks requiring rapid and accurate performance.…”

Formal Speech Stylistics and Type A Behavior in 38 Subjects during Nonstress Interviews

“…The divergence of both studies might partially be explained by the two different interview techniques used: an open-ended approach, which avoids using pressure on the patient and which gives him time and opportunity to speak at his own pace could lead to a less pronounced presence of certain speech stylistics, if those appear only under stress, as is true for certain physiological parameters in type A subjects, e.g. heart rate and blood pres sure [7], Our less impressive correlations might be partially explained method ologically: we correlated the stylistics with extent of type A behavior assessed by a test measuring content, whereas Schucker and Jacobs [3] com pared the stylistics in type A and B behavior subjects classified according to global ratings, which themselves were based on a judgment, to which speech stylistics had contributed. Furthermore, they used extreme type A and B subjects, whereas ours were taken from a continuum on a type A/B scale without selecting individuals from the ends of the scale.…”

Type A Behaviour, Attention, and the Report of Subjective Arousal

“…The type A behaviour pattern (TABP) [1], which is characterized by the well-defined attributes of excessive competitive drive, hostility, aggressiveness and a sense of time urgency [2], has been shown to relate to cor onary heart disease (CHD) in both prospec tive studies and retrospective ones [3], The mechanisms by which the TABP is linked with CHD arc as yet incompletely under stood but central to the argument is the gen eral hypothesis that at least some situations, particularly those perceived by the individ ual as threatening and competitive, have the capacity to challenge those with the TABP in such a way as to cause exaggerated physio logical activation [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. The risk for CHD implied by such physiological responses has been argued to be exacerbated by type As' tendency to fail to recognize or at least re port these symptoms of physical distress [ 12,13], thus making As less likely to seek medi cal attention or to take other forms of reme dial action.…”