Personality and Performance: An Examination of Type A and B Constructs

Abstract

This study was designed to ascertain the effects of Type A behavior, as measured by Vickers' scale on performance and self-estimation of performance in completing two tasks simultaneously. The relations between Type A behavior and specific personality components that appear related to Type A as defined by Friedman and Rosenman (1974) were also examined. 100 male undergraduate subjects, divided into groups of 8 to 15 subjects each, completed Vickers' Type A Questionnaire, Berger's Expressed Acceptance of Self Scale, Stein Self-description Questionnaire, and a Self-estimate of Performance Questionnaire. In a second session, each subject was randomly assigned to three tasks involving visual checking, auditory arithmetic, or both tasks simultaneously. Type A persons' performance was significantly poorer than Type B subjects' on simultaneous arithmetic problem solving. In addition, Type A persons who believed they would perform more poorly actually did so compared to Type B subjects when solving arithmetic items in the simultaneous task condition. These results are contrary to expectations that Type A persons will perform better and estimate performance as higher when compared to Type B subjects in completing multiple tasks. Further analyses also indicated that Type A subjects were significantly higher than Type B in self-acceptance (self-esteem), need for achievement, dominance, counteraction, and need for order. They were lower in need to play and blamavoidance.