Are there certain types of people who do better at handling traumatic events than others? Almost certainly – as discussed earlier on this blog, a variety of differences in things such as emotional expressivity and physiological reactivity can predict people’s responses to traumatic events. But that’s not the interesting question. After all, there are individual differences in almost every psychological phenomenon you can find. The interesting question (at least to me) is this: is pop culture accurate as to what kind of person can best cope with traumatic events? Is there a kernel of truth to the idea of “toughness?” Does the stereotypical image of a rough, tough, macho man (or woman) who can eat nails and spit bullets have any relevance to the actual psychological predictors that can help predict a healthy response to a traumatic event? Some insight on this question comes from a chapter written by Patricia Watson and colleagues published in the book “Interventions following mass violence and disasters: Strategies for mental health practice” (Ritchie, Watson, & Friedman, 2006). Watson et al’s chapter looks at what predicts healthy resilience following disasters and mass traumas. As a part of that, they brush up against many of the things that characterize a traditional tough-guy/gal, and paint an interesting picture of whether Hollywood got it right. Let’s see how the image of a tough person holds up by looking at the research behind some traditional characteristics that show up in “tough” characters on TV and in movies:
So overall, what does this suggest about our images of toughness? There are some good ideas there. Physical fitness, self-confidence and mastery, and a history of successfully managed stressful events can all help to improve response to traumatic events, and someone who works to develop those traits will probably show more healthy long-term responses to trauma than those without them. But the image that often goes with those traits in popular culture, of a person who holds themselves separate from the rest of the world and works as a “lone wolf”… well, it’s a powerful image and one that is tempting to many people. But the research is clear: lone wolves don’t work as well as those who have a pack. Social engagement and positive social interactions are one of the best ways to recover from a traumatic event. If you define toughness as the ability to overcome anything that life throws at you, then the toughest person in the room is not likely to be the Indiana Jones lookalike brooding alone at the end of the bar. It’s probably the person surrounded by her friends, and having a positive, cheerful time.
Are there certain types of people who do better at handling traumatic events than others? Almost certainly – as
discussed earlier on this blog, (https://beyondfearblog.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/gender-and-ptsd) a variety of
differences in things such as emotional expressivity and physiological reactivity can predict people’s responses
to traumatic events. But that’s not the interesting question. After all, there are individual differences in
almost every psychological phenomenon you can find. The interesting question (at least to me) is this: is pop
culture accurate as to what kind of person can best cope with traumatic events? Is there a kernel of truth to
the idea of “toughness?” Does the stereotypical image of a rough, tough, macho man (or woman) who can eat nails
and spit bullets have any relevance to the actual psychological predictors that can help predict a healthy
response to a traumatic event? Some insight on this question comes from a chapter written by Patricia Watson
and colleagues published in the book “Interventions following mass violence and disasters: Strategies for mental
health practice”
(http://www.amazon.com/Interventions-Following-Mass-Violence-Disasters/dp/1593852568/ref=ed_oe_h) (Ritchie,
Watson, & Friedman, 2006).
Watson et al’s chapter looks at what predicts healthy resilience following disasters and mass traumas. As a
part of that, they brush up against many of the things that characterize a traditional tough-guy/gal, and paint
an interesting picture of whether Hollywood got it right. Let’s see how the image of a tough person holds up by
looking at the research behind some traditional characteristics that show up in “tough” characters on TV and in
movies:
1. A tough guy/gal is capable, and knows how to handle any event. This type of confidence is referred to
as “coping self-efficacy,” a relatively fancy term that basically means that people have a perception of
themselves as able to effectively handle stressful or negative events. If someone believes that they can
appropriately handle anything life throws at them, they’re much more likely to recover from any specific
stressful event. Whether it’s through building machines like MacGuyver or just gunning down anyone who gets in
her way like Vazquez from the movie Aliens, the traditional tough-guy/gal can handle anything that comes their
way – and this means that they will probably recover well from a traumatic event.
2. A tough guy/gal started out green and “toughened up.” The research on this suggests this can be true.
Repeated exposure to challenges or stressors, if followed by good recovery periods, can help to keep the body’s
system used to responding to and recovering from stressful events . This can reduce long-term distress.
Importantly, however, this only works if the stressful event is something that does not itself cause long-term
distress. Situations which included loss, or emphasize that the person is not in control of their life can be
bad, and can weaken instead of improve people’s overall resilience.
3. A tough guy/gal is fit. Physical fitness is important for every kind of health – including mental
health! People who are in good shape are both more likely to have had repeated demonstrations of their ability
to handle challenging situations (through the challenging process of getting fit) and are also more likely be
able to respond in a healthy fashion to the physiological response to stressors.
4. A tough guy/gal is a loner, who works best alone and broods over their past with a glass of straight
whisky. Uh-oh. Now, our tough guy/gal has a serious problem. This pattern of characteristics that is so
popular in our images of tough heroes that it has become a cultural stereotype is almost exactly the opposite of
the best way to respond to a traumatic event. Research consistently shows, over and over again, that the people
who recover best from traumatic events are people who seek help from others, and build large social networks
that provide critical social support. Talking to others about the traumatic event (when they want to), and
spending time with others in healthy, positive social interactions, helps to support healthy coping strategies.
This allows people to see themselves in a positive light, improves perceptions of mastery and helps with
constructing a narrative of the traumatic event that provides meaning, an important predictor in recovery
(https://beyondfearblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/can-political-commitment-protect-people-from-ptsd/). Moreover,
using alcohol as a way of coping with a traumatic event is a bad idea – it does not contribute to long-term
mental health, may exacerbate feeling badly, and can easily lead to more significant problems down the road.
So overall, what does this suggest about our images of toughness? There are some good ideas there. Physical
fitness, self-confidence and mastery, and a history of successfully managed stressful events can all help to
improve response to traumatic events, and someone who works to develop those traits will probably show more
healthy long-term responses to trauma than those without them. But the image that often goes with those traits
in popular culture, of a person who holds themselves separate from the rest of the world and works as a “lone
wolf”… well, it’s a powerful image and one that is tempting to many people. But the research is clear: lone
wolves don’t work as well as those who have a pack. Social engagement and positive social interactions are one
of the best ways to recover from a traumatic event. If you define toughness as the ability to overcome anything
that life throws at you, then the toughest person in the room is not likely to be the Indiana Jones lookalike
brooding alone at the end of the bar. It’s probably the person surrounded by her friends, and having a
positive, cheerful time.