Read the scenario below and answer the question that follows.
Clara and Elena are lead software developers at a high-stakes tech startup, facing identical sprint deadlines and code reviews. Clara is extremely driven, sets punishing standards, reacts with deep frustration if another developer's bug delays her, and frequently complains of acid reflux and an elevated heart rate under pressure. Elena, who handles the same workload, maintains a flexible attitude, views bugs and setbacks as positive opportunities to learn, regularly shuts down her computer at 5 PM to practice yoga, and reports feeling energized rather than drained.
Question: Outline personal variables that might explain why Clara and Elena respond so differently to their high-pressure work environment.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Stress with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 100 questions covering Physiology of stress, Role of stress in illness, Sources of stress, Measuring stress, Individual differences in stress, and Managing and coping with stress, matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.