Attributional Style and the Type A Coronary-Prone Behavior Pattern

The present two studies examined the attributional styles of Type A and B individuals. Past research suggests that Type A's exhibit greater performance deficits than Type B's following exposure to extended, salient uncontrollable stimuli. The reformulated learned helplessness model suggests that individuals most prone to such performance deficits should exhibit an attributional style characterized by internal, stable, and global attributions for negative outcomes, but external, unstable, and specific attributions for positive outcomes. However, a self-esteem protection explanation of learned helplessness findings predicts an opposite, self-serving attributional style. Results from both studies indicated that Type A's are more self-serving than Type B's in their attributions for positive and negative outcomes.