Some of the personality traits that relate to stress:
- Type A Personality: The classification of type
A and type B was given by Freidman and Rosenman. Individuals with a
type A personality are overly competitive. They are always in a
hurry and are impatient. Such individuals find it hard to relax. By
contrast, those with a type B personality are carefree, relaxed and
laid back. It has been found that individuals with a Type A
personality are more prone to stress.
- Resilience: Resilience is the ability to
bounce back in the face of adversity. Individuals high on
resilience are able to deal with stressors effectively. Hence,
resilience as a trait also influences the magnitude of stress a
person experiences.
- Hardiness: Hardiness is a set of personality
traits given by Kobasa. It is a set of traits that is related to
coping and managing stress. Individuals who are high on hardiness
have three characteristics: challenge (they perceive the stress as
a challenge rather than a problem), control (they believe that will
be able to deal with adversity), commitment (they have a strong
sense of purpose).