Psychophysiological reactivity in Type A and B women during a rapid information processing task

Summary Type A and Type B women assessed by a newly developed German questionnaire need for control (NC) were compared with respect to time-pressured information processing performance and to simultaneously recorded psychophysiological reactivity. The task was computer controlled, monetarily reinforced and subject paced. The physiological measurements included the cardiovascular parameters, ECG and finger plethysmographic amplitudes and the noncardiovascular parameters, EMG (frontal muscle), skin conductance reactivity, and respiration. NC-Type A and Type B women did not differ in performance, but the Type As showed stronger vasoconstrictive responses to the task than did the Type Bs. Other physiological intergroup differences were not seen. In addition, the Type As scored significantly higher in nervousness and irritability and marginally higher in depression, reactive aggressivity and neuroticism than did the Type Bs. This particular pattern of NC-Type A/B differences is discussed with regard to relevant differences observed by other studies between SI and JAS Type As and Bs.