Type a Behavior and Situation-Specific Perceptions of Control

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to study perceptions of control for recalled situations among Jenkins Activity Survey-defined Type A and Type B college students. The subjects recalled past situations of competition and time pressure and then provided ratings of vividness and perceived control for self and others. The results indicated that Type A subjects had more vivid recollections of both competition and time pressure situations than did Type B persons. On the other hand, Type A scorers made higher ratings of perceived control-for-self than Type B scorers for recalled competitive but not for time pressure situations. Other results indicated that the speed and impatience scores on Jenkins' scale were negatively correlated to perceptions of control in the recalled time pressure situations. These results, together with recent findings which show that Type A persons perceive less control in recalled angry situations indicate that A/B differences in perceived control are situationally specific. The possible role of differences in social comparisons in mediating these interactional effects is discussed.