Personality Psychology chapter 15

Conscientiousness

best personality predicter of longevity

Less likely: drinking, smoking, drugs

More likely: seat belts, smaller waist

self regulation

ability to control impulses, make good choices and think before acting

leads to better grades, better interpersonal skills

Impulsivity

acting without thinking, opposite of self regulation

linked to obesity

Neuroticism

use words like depressed and lonely

tendency toward hostility and anger

more negative emotions

Neuroticism and health

worry more

heart disease, blood pressure, obesity

faster aging

addictions

Social inhibition

reluctance to express emotions that risk other disapproval

low extraversion

Type D (distressed) personality

combination of high neuroticism and high social inhibition

linked to health issues

Type A personality

hardworking, scheduled and impatient

predicts heart disease (heart attacks)

Type B personality

laid back and less scheduled

higher agreeableness, higher conscientiousness

Type T (thrill seeking) personality

seeks out exciting experiences

higher chance of accidents and reckless driving

high extraversion (sensation seeking)

high impulsivity

Agreeableness

inconsistent link between agreeableness and longevity

more social support

openness to experience

not related to self-reported health or longevity (only big 5 with no association)

linked to some health benefits

Honesty and humility

captures people's sincerity, honesty, faithfulness, modesty, and fair-mindedness

H-H and associations

No direct link to physical health in finding (more indirect)

Workplace delinquency negatively associated

Low H-H

power driven, take risks, danger

may be low on some health related measures

Big 5 and physical health

high power motive

feel controlled by others and become distressed (chronic high blood pressure, immune system problems)

unable to archive desired personality

high affiliation motive

focus on relationships

better immune system

increased progesterone

high achievement motive

participate in sports

better BMI's

channel their drives into behaviors that lead to better physical health

optimistic explanatory style

believe negative events are temporary and specific

pessimistic explanatory style

seeing bad events as all encompassing

opposite for good events

catasrophizing

optimistic people

better immune system

recover more quickly

live longer

adjust better

pessimistic people

more likely to die from accidents/violence

attracted to hazardous situations

take risks, nothing to lose

defensive pessimism

try to prepare in case worst happens

Depressed people

often not pessimists but realists