Prosocial personality traits and adaptation to stress

• Gloria Garcia-Banda

  University Research Institute on Health Sciences and University of the Balearic Islands

• Mateu Servera

  University Research Institute on Health Sciences and University of the Balearic Islands

• Karin Chellew

  University of the Balearic Islands

• Victoria Meisel

  University of the Balearic Islands

• Joana Fornes

  University of The Balearic Islands, Palma, Mallorca, The Balearic Islands

• Esther Cardo

  Son Llatzer Hospital

• Gerardo Perez

  Son Dureta Hospital

• Maria Riesco

  Son Dureta Hospital

• Ronald M. Doctor

  California State University-Northridge

Evidence suggests that personality traits may play a significant role in individual differences in cortisol reactivity in stressful situations. In this study, cortisol responses to public speaking were examined to test hypotheses that reactivity would be positively related to openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and negatively to extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism, respectively. A sample of 75 students (56 women and 19 men) completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1985), and 2 saliva samples were taken before and after the stressor, and another 2 samples at similar times on a control day. Results revealed that conscientiousness was associated with an enhanced cortisol response to stress, while psychoticism was correlated with a blunted response.

1. Karin Chellew, University of the Balearic Islands
   Department of Psychology
2. Victoria Meisel, University of the Balearic Islands
   Department of Psychology
3. Joana Fornes, University of The Balearic Islands, Palma, Mallorca, The Balearic Islands
   Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy
4. Gerardo Perez, Son Dureta Hospital
   Department of Clinical Analysis
5. Maria Riesco, Son Dureta Hospital
   Department of Clinical Analysis
6. Ronald M. Doctor, California State University-Northridge
   Department of Psychology

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