Identify two sets of personality traits that research shows predict physical health outcomes and discuss their outcomes. Describe how extreme versions of each of these sets of traits play a central role in physical health and how they contribute to health outcomes. To what extent do sex differences exist for extreme versions of these traits?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

In general, people higher in agentic traits like competitiveness, leadership, and assertiveness also show fewer physical symptoms during illness. In contrast, no relationships tend to emerge between physical health and communal traits such as warmth and nurturance. However extreme versions of these traits, unmitigated agency and unmitigated communion respectively, both contribute to worse physical health outcomes. People high in unmitigated agency are often arrogant, dominating, and self-absorbed. This leads to more interpersonal conflicts and a lack of social support. These individuals are also more likely to engage in negative health behaviors like smoking and drug use while disregarding advice from doctors. Combined this puts people high in unmitigated agency at greater risk for a variety of negative health outcomes. People high in unmitigated communion chronically over nurture and overexert themselves while trying to support others. This increases stress and decreases the effectiveness of the immune system making people high in unmitigated communion at greater risk of illness. They also tend to be intrusive and overly controlling in their relationships with others which may deprive them of the positive health outcomes associated with social support from others. In general, unmitigated agency and unmitigated communion are associated with men and women respectively, though the correlation is not perfect. Both women and men can be high in either unmitigated agency or unmitigated communion, and these tendencies are bad for people’s health regardless of their sex.