PSY 283 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Coronary Artery Disease, Asthma, Extraversion And Introversion
15 Mar 2019
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Document Summary
According to personality psychologists, at least some personality traits are strongly influenced by heredity. This is why identical twins who are raised apart often show very clear similarities in their personalities. Researchers believe that people inherit variations in their body chemistry that influence how sensitive they are to different types of stimulation as well as the types of moods they generally experience. Our personalities reflect the environment in which we were raised. Positive states include extraversion (feelings of energy and sociability) and positive affect. Research shows that people who are high in positive emotions experience better psychological and physical well-being. Extraverts have lower rates of major and minor illnesses, including asthma, arthritis, ulcers, and coronary heart disease. People who are optimistic report having fewer infectious illnesses and fewer physical symptoms. Optimists also recover more quickly from surgery and are less likely to be re-hospitalized after surgery. Optimism is positively associated with life expectancy, even for those with very serious illnesses.
