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The Type A Behavior Pattern and Coronary Heart Disease: Physiological and Psychological Dimensions

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Individual Differences, Stress, and Health Psychology

Part of the book series: Contributions to Psychology and Medicine ((CONTRIBUTIONS))

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Abstract

Janisse and Dyck concern themselves in this chapter with the Type A behavior pattern and review some central issues for the theory of Type A. They focus upon both physiological and psychological attempts to understand the behavior pattern and review three notions in particular. They begin with the concept of enhanced or exaggerated physiological responsivity on the part of Type As relative to Type Bs. This proposal holds that habitual cardiovascular overreaction during a lifetime is somehow linked to coronary heart disease. The second notion explored, continuing a theme of Endler’s, is that of control. It is said that for Type As, control of their environment and the people in it is of paramount importance, and that great amounts of energy are spent by them to maintain control, or to regain it when lost. It is argued that this may explain the hypervigilance and high activity temperament of the Type A. Finally, the role of hostility in the Type A character is related to the concept of coronary-prone behavior and the need to control. Hostility has long been tied to cardiovascular disease, as shown by Rosenman in Chapter 1, but it has begun to be suspected that this is the key component of the Type A behavior pattern that makes it a coronary-prone pattern. With regard to control, issues about its nature are discussed, giving particular concern to how its maintenance and loss may be related to the emergence and expression of hostility in the Type A. The chapter concludes by advancing several questions about control, hostility, and the Type A behavior pattern that look to future research for answers.

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Authors
  1. Michel Pierre Janisse
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  2. Dennis G. Dyck
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winninpeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

    Michel Pierre Janisse Ph.D.

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Janisse, M.P., Dyck, D.G. (1988). The Type A Behavior Pattern and Coronary Heart Disease: Physiological and Psychological Dimensions. In: Janisse, M.P. (eds) Individual Differences, Stress, and Health Psychology. Contributions to Psychology and Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3824-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3824-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8367-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-3824-9

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