relation to health behaviour patterns, extraversion appears to be associated with both
health-protective behaviours like exercise (Rhodes, Courneya and Hayduk, 2002) and
health-risk behaviours like smoking (Booth-Kewley and Vickers, 1994)!
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
Conscientiousness refers to the ability to control one’s behaviour and to complete
tasks. Highly conscientious individuals are more organized, careful, dependable, self-
disciplined and achievement-oriented than those low in conscientiousness (McCrae
and Costa, 1987). High conscientiousness has also been associated with a greater use
of problem-focused, positive reappraisal and support-seeking coping strategies (Watson
and Hubbard, 1996) and a less frequent use of escape-avoidance and self-blame
128 COPING RESOURCES
FIGURE 6.2The Rorschach ink-blot test for personality. Most modern personality tests
employ questionnaires to assess different personality traits. Earlier tests
employed more projective tests such as the Rorschach ink-blot test shown
here where respondents were required to interpret ink blots and their
responses used to classify their personality. Such tests however have low
reliability and scores tend to vary depending on the psychologist doing the
interpretation.
The accident-prone personality?Some research has addressed the idea that certain personality traits are precursors
of accidents or unintentional injuries, i.e. the accident-prone personality. The best
evidence supporting such a personality type comes from studies focusing on
impulsivity. This research shows that childhood impulsivity predicts injuries both
during childhood and later life (Caspi et al., 1997; Cooper et al., 2003).
What mechanisms might explain how impulsivity is related to injuries? Try
reading these two articles and coming up with a list of potential mechanisms.ACTIVITY 6.1