Exploring The Characteristics And Tendencies Of Type A Personalities
From ancient philosophers to modern-day scientists, humans have investigated personality, behavior, and motivation for centuries. While there are many ways to explain and group human behaviors, everyone is different, so each framework can serve as a guideline. One theory of personality is the "type A" and "type B" theory. Although it is a theory and not a scientific fact, this framework may help individuals understand their personality, characteristics, and challenges if they relate.
What is the ABCD personality type theory?
Cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman introduced the ABCD personality type theory in the 1950s after observing the wear and tear on the chairs in the cardiac waiting room. The pair defined the Type-A Behavior Pattern (TABP) when they realized that the heart patients they saw often displayed similar personality traits.
Type A personalities are characterized by their tendency to have:
- An exaggerated sense of time urgency and impatience
- Ambitious and goal-oriented behaviors
- Sensitivity to stress
- Competitiveness
- Quickly aroused frustration or hostility and a short temper
- Workaholism
- Aggressive behavior and attitude
- High energy levels or an ability to push through fatigue
- A pessimistic outlook
Friedman and Roseman found that type A people were prone to coronary heart disease, though the medical community continues to challenge the link. Instead, many believe the increased rates of heart disease among type A personalities are due to the tendency to accumulate stress and the difficulty in processing it in healthy ways. Stress is known to cause or worsen heart problems and other health issues.
The University of Rochester Medical Center states, "Studies suggest that the high levels of cortisol from long-term stress can increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure. These are common risk factors for heart disease. This stress can also cause changes that promote the buildup of plaque deposits in the arteries."
ABCD personality types
Note that not everyone may relate to the ABCD personality model. You may have dominant traits from one type with less noticeable characteristics from one or more others. While the ABCD personality type model helps to classify and group people according to their tendencies and thought patterns, the people themselves may be more complex. Below are common traits of the ABCD personalities:
- Type A: Stressed, workaholic-oriented, short-tempered, energetic, ambition-oriented, pessimistic, competitive
- Type B: Easy-going, prone to procrastination, fun-loving, laid back, balanced, optimistic, non-competitive
- Type C: Cautious or worried, hard-working, serious, careful, logic-oriented, deep thinker, perfectionist
- Type D: Distressed, constantly working, depressed, anxious, routine-oriented, pessimistic, cautious
Exploring type a personality characteristics
The following are personality traits commonly associated with type A personalities.
Impatience
If you relate to type A personality traits, you might feel a need to rush and worry about not being able to accomplish each task within the hours of the day. You might experience a sense of urgency or feel impatient with people around you. People with type A personalities often dislike unproductive time. They may overbook their schedule to avoid downtime or multitask to turn activities like watching television into more productive activities by eating while they watch.
Hostility
Many people with type A personalities have short tempers and find that anger and hostility are instinctive reactions when they encounter frustration in their daily lives. However, some people with TABP characteristics do not express their frustration overtly. Others may openly display anger, envy, aggression, or a lack of compassion. Hostility is believed to be one of the main factors linked to heart disease, often due to the body's associated stress reaction.
Competitiveness
People with TABP often feel they need to be better than others and obtain success. This behavior may extend to multiple areas of their lives, from work to personal relationships, and may create problems in situations that are not naturally competitive.
An orientation for achievement
Type A personalities often derive feelings of self-worth from what they can accomplish. These feelings can lead to negative self-directed feelings if you cannot complete your daily tasks due to delays.
Dominance
Many people with TABP demonstrate a dominant presence in business or personal situations. They may often disregard others' needs and wishes to shape the circumstances to suit them. In positive scenarios, these behaviors might help them become a leader in their career.
Anxious
Mental health conditions like anxiety disorders may be seen in higher percentages among people who identify with type A characteristics. This occurrence may be due to increased stress levels if one feels overwhelmed with work or other commitments. Type A individuals often place intense expectations on themselves and tend to react to situations with stress, anxiety, or anger before examining their emotions or practicing self-care.
Physical characteristics of a type A individual
Although it is only a theory, the physical characteristics of people who identify with the type A personality type might include the following:
- Facial tension shown through a clenched jaw, tight lips, facial expression, etc.
- Teeth grinding or tongue clicking
- Dark circles under the eyes
- Sweating on the forehead or upper lip
How to know if you're a type A personality
You can take a free personality quiz online to see if your behavior fits the TABP. Your results may give insight into how your type A characteristics affect your behavior and overall health. However, note that an online test does not replace professional guidance from a licensed therapist.
Coping with type A characteristics
If you connect with the type A model of personality, you might struggle with a few of the associated traits. Below are some coping mechanisms you can use to find relief and work through behaviors you'd like to change.
Change your perspective
Consider changing your perspective about work to reduce job stress and make your work environment more rewarding. You may also soften type A tendencies by shifting your thought patterns. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an evidence-based method to identify and replace unwanted thought patterns or ingrained beliefs, and you can learn this method alongside a licensed therapist.
"Fake It Until You Make It"
Although it may sound "cliché," consider the phrase, "fake it until you make it." The more you present a calm, serene façade when facing stress and anger, the more you may notice it is becoming a habit in your life. You can also use this strategy with positive affirmations. Tell yourself positive messages, even if you initially don't believe them.
Try journaling
Keep a journal to track when your type A characteristics adversely affect you. The written record can be a therapeutic method on its own but may also help you notice patterns in situations that incite undesired behaviors. Studies also showcase that expressive writing, like journaling, can have mental health benefits.
Build tolerance
Build up your tolerance with planned exposures over time. The more often you allow yourself to maintain calm when confronted with your stressor, the easier you might find it to cope with these stressors in the future.
Practice deep breathing techniques
Practice deep breathing techniques to help you keep calm and maintain emotional balance. Breathing exercises focus your attention on stimuli other than frustration, and they have been used for thousands of years to manage anger, anxiety, and pain.
Spend time with your pets
If you have furry friends at home, bask in your pet's unconditional love. It may help you relieve stress and connect with your emotional center. As a bonus, walking your pet could provide the opportunity for healthy physical activity and socialization.
Get outside
Many people benefit from spending time outside, and studies indicate that nature has positive impacts on mental health. If you enjoy the outdoors, consider starting a garden. Reliably tending it can be a stress-relieving activity that can help soften some type A tendencies.
Try counseling
If you have a type A personality and want to dull the impact of some of the characteristics it brings out in you, consider working with a licensed therapist online through a virtual therapy platform like BetterHelp. Treatment can help you learn to identify and understand your emotions, change your behavioral patterns, and find healthy ways to cope when you're feeling stressed or frustrated. Working with a therapist from home can also offer seclusion and help you fit therapy into a busy life.
In addition, online therapy may be as effective as traditional in-office treatments. Research published by the American Psychological Association shows that clients experienced similar results with both types of treatment. Some clients with no therapy experience or those more comfortable online showed increased results with online cognitive-behavioral therapy. Online treatment is frequently less expensive, has shorter wait times, and offers the convenience of attending therapy from home.
Takeaway
What is a Type A personality characteristic?
According to the Type A and B personality model, type A people are commonly characterized as being competitive and ambitious with a tendency to focus on achievement and goals. People with a Type A personality may be somewhat high-strung and have been described as “workaholics.” This can create difficulties for A-type personalities in areas of job-related stress and potential cardiovascular issues like high blood pressure. Type A people may need to practice stress management and maintain a balanced lifestyle.
What is the type B personality?
Type B individuals are typically less stressed than their type A counterparts and have a reputation for being laid-back and adaptable to change. Because type B personality traits are more easygoing, less time-driven, and less intense than Type A personalities, researchers posit that they are less likely to experience cardiovascular disease.
Is there a Type D personality?
The nature of the type D personality can change depending on the model one references. For example, from a business/organizational perspective, type D may exemplify an individual with introspective tendencies who can be very organized and thoughtful. People with a D-type personality tend to struggle with adaptability and feel uncomfortable with disorganization and spontaneity. Instead, they prefer to remain in familiar situations with reduced conflict.
Within the framework of psychology, type D personalities tend to think negatively and may even have thoughts of hostility and ill-will toward others. But on the exterior, they hide these emotions out of fear of confrontation and alienation from social groups. Type D personalities may be more prone to depression and anxiety than the other types. They may also be more prone to disease and other health-related problems.
What is personality type A vs. C?
Type C personalities are often analytical in nature and prefer to use logic and information to navigate relationships and solve problems. While they are typically meticulous and detail-oriented in a work setting, they are also prone to stress and worry when things don’t go according to plan. A type C individual may also have difficulty expressing emotions and appear aloof to others.
While both can have high achievement standards and benefit from habits that help them reduce stress, type A and C personalities are different in many ways. For example, type A personalities are typically more comfortable in high-pressure, time-bound environments, while C types prefer more predictability and structure.
What is the A or B personality type?
The A and B personality model was developed in the 1950s by cardiologists Ray Rosenmann and Meyer Friedmann. In their medical practice, the doctors noticed that individuals with coronary heart disease seemed to have certain personality traits vs. people who didn’t. They wondered if they could use these observations to predict and prevent heart disease in specific individuals through changes in lifestyle and attitude. To investigate, the doctors conducted an empirical, detail-driven study on the connection between cardiovascular disease and what they labeled as “type A” vs. “type B” personalities.
Their nine-year study measured the personality traits of over 3,000 participants (all men) while monitoring their cardiovascular health. In their findings, Friedmann and Rosenmann found that
type A personalities were at an increased risk for heart disease—exhibiting physical indicators like higher blood pressure, heart rate, and epinephrine/norepinephrine levels. These participants exhibited typical type A traits such as compulsivity, competitiveness, and a heightened sense of time urgency. They tended to have more job-related stress and little patience for others who didn’t match their intensity in the workplace.
Conversely, people with a type B behavior pattern tended to have lower physical indicators for heart disease and were better able to manage stress. These individuals were described as even-tempered, easygoing, and patient when participating in the study. They were less likely to experience stress-related health issues like cardiovascular disease.
Is Type A personality introverted or extroverted?
Human nature is complex, and labels for personality types (such as the A, B, C, and D labels) are seldom a one-size-fits-all thing. Most people find they have a mixture of “negative” and positive traits from two or more personality types. For this reason, it’s difficult to definitively say that Type A personalities are always introverts or extroverts. However, according to the generalized description, type A personalities have natural tendencies toward extroversion.
What are Type C personality traits?
Type C individuals are often characterized as methodical and analytical and are more comfortable in predictable environments. They are primarily detail-driven thinkers, typically making decisions based on research and information rather than intuition or collaboration. HOWEVER, type C can have a natural tendency for stubbornness and may become impatient with people who don’t have their high standards for organization and accuracy. For this reason, some C types prefer to keep to themselves and avoid social interaction.
Is Type B an introvert?
Again, human behavior and personality complexities make it challenging to nail down someone’s likelihood of being an introvert vs. an extrovert. One may take a personality test indicating they have many type B personalities but with extroverted tendencies. Type B individuals can be labeled introverts; however, some may be more social and comfortable in group settings.
What is the personality of a Type H person?
The type H personality is a relatively new concept established by mental health professionals to accommodate the more nuanced aspects of human behavior. Type H stands for “honesty and humility,” but you may also see “healing” or “hardy.” This archetype may be described as confident, committed to their values, and down-to-earth. They’re flexible, unpretentious types with a high degree of self-awareness.
Some H personalities may be challenging to motivate and can be judgmental of others who don’t hold the same high standards of morality. Though highly self-aware, H types may also be averse to asking for help when needed, preferring to be self-sufficient even if it’s to a fault. This may be particularly disadvantageous for those H types with mental illness.
Is Type C personality real?
Type C is an actual personality type represented by individuals with strong analytical, detail-driven tendencies. Type C people prefer routine to spontaneity, and they are most comfortable when they’re in control. They employ research and detail-driven methods for interacting with the world and can be difficult to read socially. As such, they are often labeled as stand-offish and unapproachable.
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