Are you trying to get ahead by being aggressive and fierce? A highly aggressive and competitive attitude can have serious health consequences, says the management-issues.com website.
The health effects of a hostile-dominant personality
When your attitude to life is hostile and dominant, your life can be shorter, since you are more prone to heart disease. Psychologist Timothy W. Smith from the University of Utah conducted four studies in which he surveyed 500 young people and discovered that people with hostile-dominant personalities are indeed at a higher risk of coronary diseases compared with people whose personalities are warm-dominant.
A hostile attitude results in higher blood pressure
People who tend to deal with others with greater hostility also feel higher interpersonal stress during an average day. As a result, their blood pressure is actually higher during interactions with other people who were also rather hostile to people around them. Studies show that when our reaction to stress is increased blood pressure, we are at higher risk of serious cardiovascular diseases.
If you like people, the risks are lower
Warm-dominant people are friendlier and nicer, but that is not all! They also tend to view their own social status as being somewhat higher. As far as intimate relationships are concerned, these types of people live in less conflict and are more supportive. On the other hand, hostile people experience greater marital conflicts and consequently can expect a lower level of marital support.
Relentless power-seekers who climb the ladder of social status by being competitive can shorten their own lives. Unfortunately, people are often only willing to take steps to change their hostile personality when something in their lives begin to fall apart.
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