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Articulated thoughts of Type A and B individuals in response to social criticism

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Abstract

To explore the hypothesis that individuals with Type A behavior pattern have an underlying sensitivity to social criticism, the Articulated Thoughts in Simulated Situations paradigm was used to examine differences in articulated cognitions between Types A and B individuals in response to simulated taped situations involving social criticism and nonevaluative stress. Individuals with Type B behavior pattern (as measured by the Jenkins Activity Survey) and extreme Type Bs (as measured by the structured interview) engaged in significantly more self-supportive self-talk than Type A individuals in response to social criticism. Types A and B subjects did not differ in their responses to the nonevaluative situation. These findings provide some support for the notion that sensitivity to criticism is a component of Type A. However, the prediction that Type As would respond with more self-deprecating or hostile cognitions than Type Bs was not confirmed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Ave. — 2191 Franz Hall, 90024-1563, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Marian E. Williams, Gerald C. Davison, Elahe Nezami & Vincent L. DeQuattro

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  1. Marian E. Williams
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  2. Gerald C. Davison
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  3. Elahe Nezami
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  4. Vincent L. DeQuattro
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Additional information

This research was supported by NIH grant 1R01HL31090-01 to -03 to the second and fourth authors. For their assistance in data collection and analysis, thanks go to Traci Bice, Sharon Dolezal, Jennifer Dunkin, David Haaga, Vikas Patel, Diane Rhone, Joel Rosenbaum, and Karen Weinstein. For their suggestions on an earlier draft of this manuscript, we are grateful to Ray Rosenman, Diane B. Arnkoff, and two anonymous reviewers.

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Williams, M.E., Davison, G.C., Nezami, E. et al. Articulated thoughts of Type A and B individuals in response to social criticism. Cogn Ther Res 16, 19–30 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01172954

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