Psychobiological substrates of the Type A behavior pattern.

Argues that Type A (coronary prone) behavior may reflect excessive sympathetic responsiveness to environmental stressors rather than just person–situation interactions, and that an underlying biological or psychobiological factor might affect the expression of Type A behavior. Data consistent with a psychobiological view are provided by studies of (1) patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery and (2) the effects of beta-adrenergic blocking drugs in decreasing Type A behavior. A somatopsychic model of Type A behavior is formulated that considers the role of sympathetic nervous system responses and the processing of information about these responses in contributing to emotional behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)