ABSTRACT
This study investigated the possible relationship between Ellis's construct of irrational thinking and Seligman's construct of explanatory style, with a view toward possibly strengthening the personality theory underlying Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy in particular and cognitive-behavior therapies more generally. In this investigation 180 college students were administered the Survey of Personal Beliefs and the Attributional Style Questionnaire to measure irrational thinking and explanatory style, respectively. Students who scored higher on Pessimistic Explanatory Style also scored higher on Overall Irrational Thinking and on Low Frustration Tolerance than did those who were categorized as having an Optimistic Explanatory Style. This indicates support for Ellis's developing personality theory, especially his theoretical account of depression.
Subject(s)
Personality/classification , Psychotherapy, Rational-Emotive , Thinking , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Personality InventoryABSTRACT
To test the hypothesized role of cognitive appraisal in Lazarus' model of life stress, 312 male and female undergraduate students completed the Hassles Scale and the Jenkins Activity Survey, Form C. Based upon their scores on the Type A scale of the Jenkins Activity Survey, subjects showing Type A behavior pattern differed significantly from subjects showing Type B behavior pattern on both reported frequencies of hassles (higher for Type A scoring subjects) and hassles content pattern. This is interpreted primarily as supportive of the cognitive appraisal variable in Lazarus' life stress model.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Arousal , Life Change Events , Type A Personality , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Personality TestsABSTRACT
Slides of unfamiliar individuals were rated on six semantic differential scales by high-dogmatic and low-dogmatic subjects. Subjects were informed that the individuals depicted were either normal, neurotic, or psychotic. Results indicated that diagnostic labels significantly affected the ratings and that one factor (a general Emotional Stability factor) accounted for 77.9% of the rating variance. Level of dogmatism appeared to affect subjects' ratings, although not in the manner predicted.
