Person perception and the type A coronary-prone behavior pattern. 1981

T W Smith, and S S Brehm

The present study investigated the influence of the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern on attribution processes. Given the exaggerated achievement striving and competitiveness of Type A's, it was predicted that these individuals would be more motivated to succeed in a prisoner's dilemma game than would Type B's. Increased motivation to succeed was predicted to lead Type A's to exaggerate the amount of dispositional information they would believe they had inferred from observing the behavior of a future opponent, since such a belief would lead to increased confidence about predicting the target's behavior and thus increase subjects' perceived control over the outcome. Results supported the predictions when the hard-driving competitiveness dimension of the Type A pattern was used as the individual difference variable. Moreover, evaluations of future opponents in the prisoner's dilemma game also differed as a function of the hard-driving competitive dimension. Results are discussed in terms of a person by situation interactive model of motivational influences on attribution processes, and in terms of potential interpersonal effects of the cognitive behavior of Type A individuals.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009042 Motivation Those factors which cause an organism to behave or act in either a goal-seeking or satisfying manner. They may be influenced by physiological drives or by external stimuli. Incentives,Disincentives,Expectations,Disincentive,Expectation,Incentive,Motivations
D010551 Personality Behavior-response patterns that characterize the individual. Personalities
D003163 Competitive Behavior The direct struggle between individuals for environmental necessities or for a common goal. Behavior, Competitive,Behaviors, Competitive,Competitive Behaviors
D003327 Coronary Disease An imbalance between myocardial functional requirements and the capacity of the CORONARY VESSELS to supply sufficient blood flow. It is a form of MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA (insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle) caused by a decreased capacity of the coronary vessels. Coronary Heart Disease,Coronary Diseases,Coronary Heart Diseases,Disease, Coronary,Disease, Coronary Heart,Diseases, Coronary,Diseases, Coronary Heart,Heart Disease, Coronary,Heart Diseases, Coronary
D005716 Game Theory Theoretical construct used in applied mathematics to analyze certain situations in which there is an interplay between parties that may have similar, opposed, or mixed interests. In a typical game, decision-making "players," who each have their own goals, try to gain advantage over the other parties by anticipating each other's decisions; the game is finally resolved as a consequence of the players' decisions. Game Theories,Theories, Game,Theory, Game
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001143 Arousal Cortical vigilance or readiness of tone, presumed to be in response to sensory stimulation via the reticular activating system. Vigilance, Cortical,Arousals,Cortical Vigilance
D012718 Set, Psychology Readiness to think or respond in a predetermined way when confronted with a problem or stimulus situation. Psychological Set,Set (Psychology),Psychology Set,Set, Psychological
D012938 Social Perception The perceiving of attributes, characteristics, and behaviors of one's associates or social groups. Perception, Social,Perceptions, Social,Social Perceptions

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