Affective Personality in Relation to General Personality, Self-Reported Stress, Coping, and Optimism

Abstract

Two studies investigated the relationship between personality and experience of stress in regard to four types of affective personality, as derived from the Positive affect and Negative affect scales (PANAS): Self destructive, Low Affective, High Affective, and Self-actualizing. In both Study 1 and Study 2, it was found that individuals possessing the combination of low negative affectivity and high positive affectivity (i.e. the Self-actualizing) showed a more psychologically healthy profile, with regard to stress and dispositional optimism, than individuals possessing the combination of high negative affectivity and low positive affectivity (i.e. the Self-destructive). In Study 1, this same relationship was upheld for 'feeling of responsibility', 'affective stability' and original thinking. In Study 2, in addition, individuals possessing High Affectivity also scored highly on original thinking compared to the 'Self-destructive' individuals. Both High Affectivity and Low Affectivity individuals estimated personal relations higher than the 'Self-destructive' individuals. These studies, derived from two markedly differing populations, serve to describe the utility of affective personality in considerations of both the response to stressors and the resources available for eventual coping behavior.

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