History of Personality Typing
Do you have a Type A personality or a Type B personality? Do you even know what it means to have a Type A or Type B personality? Though you’ve probably heard the terms, some people are not exactly sure what each means.
These classifications were first proposed by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and R. H. Rosenham in the 1950s, in their effort to find an association between their patients’ tendencies and the prevalence of heart attacks.
Certain personality characteristics, like whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, you were likely born with. Others, such as work ethic or attention to detail, can be learned and developed through life experience – how you were raised, your culture, habits, work life, etc.
What Type are You?
Type A
A person who is said to have a Type A personality is extremely competitive and motivated by rewards and appreciation of others. They are generally discontent with every aspect of their lives and can be overly critical and demanding; are easily frustrated by things like having to wait in line, and frequently remind people of how important their time is. They often respond to frustrating situations with hostility and impatience, and can be rude, easily upset over small things and described as “having a short fuse."
A Type A personality person’s face usually displays tight lips or a clenched jaw, they click or grind their teeth, they have dark circles under their eyes, and often sweat on their forehead or upper lip.
Type B
Type B people are, by contrast, more laid back and relaxed about life than Type A people. “They are friendly, accepting, patient, at ease, and generally content. They are at peace with themselves and others. They show a general sense of harmony with people, events, and life circumstances. They tend to be trusting. They focus on the positive aspects of things, people, and events. Type B folks are self-encouraging, have inner motivation, are stable and have a pleasant mood. They are interested in others and accept trivial mistakes. They have an accepting attitude about trivial mistakes and a problem-solving attitude about major mistakes. They are flexible and good team members. They B person is able to lead and be led” (discoveryhealth.com).
Can your Personality Affect your Health?
The short answer is, yes, it can. In the article “Emotional Health and Overall Health”, we examined the connection between your mental health and your physical health. We looked at things like sleep deprivation and stress management and how these thing over time can wear down our bodies and can lead to things like heart disease.
It is pretty widely accepted that a person who has a positive outlook on life and life’s circumstances (a Type B personality) will live a healthier, longer life than a person who weighs him or herself down with negativity (a Type A personality).
Here is a list of common physical ailments among Type A personalities:
- High blood pressure (hypertension) - Type A people are as much as 84 percent more at risk for developing high blood pressure than a Type B person.
- Heart disease - Type A people predictably experience heart disease by age 65.
- Job stress - Type A people usually work in high-stress and demanding work environments (though it is important to note that a person in such a job may not start off as a Type A personality)
- Anti-Social - Type A people are often so focused on time and work, that personal relationships, even with their family, are sacrificed. Such social isolation brings its own type of stress with it.
To find out which type you are, click on this link: http://discoveryhealth.queendome.com/type_a_personality_access.html.
Like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, the results aren’t meant to solve your problems, but simply to open up a world of understanding about yourself and how you relate to the world and people around you. The more you understand about yourself, and about others, the better you will be able to anticipate and deal with life’s situations.
Sources: http://stress.about.com; http://discoveryhealth.queendom.com; http://changingminds.org; www.sedona.com; www.psychtreatment.com