The coronary-prone behavior pattern and the suppression of fatigue on a treadmill test

Tested the hypothesis that Type A (coronary-prone) individuals would show greater suppression of subjective fatigue than Type B (non-coronary-prone) individuals in order to persist at a tiring but challenging task. 10 Type A and 10 Type B (Jenkins Activity Survey for Health Prediction) undergraduates completed a Balke treadmill test (at a walking pace) while rating their fatigue at 2-min intervals. Each S also completed another treadmill test (at a running pace) to assess maximum aerobic capacity. Ss' aerobic capacities and their aerobic performance levels attained on the Balke test were determined by analysis of expired air. Each S's walking performance was scored as a proportion of his maximum aerobic capacity. Analysis of the resulting percentage values indicated greater effort among A's than B's. Moreover, the subjective fatigue ratings of A's were lower than those of B's. Results are discussed in terms of fatigue suppression as an instrumental response for attaining mastery over the environment. (21 ref)