Sunday, December 12, 2010

Type A Personality Takes Over Type B

I teach psychology classes at a local college, and one topic that I cover in my classes is Type A and Type B personality.  Type A personality is more rigid, more controlling, and more anxious.  Their response to stress is impatience, and competitiveness.  Type A personalities are notorious workaholics.  It's not surprising that people who are Type A are at twice as much risk of a heart attack.  On a brighter note, these personality traits are highly valued in a professional society, and may help promote an individual's success.

Type B personalities, on the other hand, take a relaxed approach to life.  They are more laid back, and they handle the daily hassles of stress much easier. 

Most of us are somewhere in between Type A and Type B.  I see Type A tendencies in myself (for example, my refusal to miss a single day of blogging in an entire year!  I mean come on, let it go already!) but I can also be very laid back about some things (like if the kids stay in pjs all day...or wait....is that just lazy?).  Realizing where you fall on the spectrum may give you a self-awareness to help you handle various situations you encounter in a normal day.

Do you know which one you are?  Want to take a test to see?  I often refer my students to THIS site to find out.  If you take the test (it's fairly short), come back and let me know how you scored!

16 comments:

jp@A Green Ridge said...

A test...let me at it! I opted to NOT go there. I think I have a pretty good idea of which one I am. I think I will look into a Yoga class...good idea???...:)JP

Unknown said...

I am an A that needs to more of a B to enjoy all I have been given.

Mere said...

Well I scored 124....I think that means Im type B....but I already knew that. I need to adopt some more type A tendencies, but I'm too lazy for that :-p

Anonymous said...

I scored 156. Guess that makes me a B. But, I consider myself a high B :-)
lovemom

Steve Surratt said...

I scored 215, somewhere in the middle. I wonder if as you age you become more type B?

Sonya @ Under the Desert Sky said...

206, in the middle. I thought of myself as having been more "A" in the past, but time has mellowed me out, I guess.

Texan said...

I scored 287, um I guess I am leaning toward a type A pesonality. I was just sure I had mellowed some with age! Actually if you can beleive it, I KNOW I have mellowed some with age.
I will blame it on being a capricorn, hows that :O). We are not called the work horse of the zodiac for nothing lol.

Chatty Crone said...

I have got to be more type A then type B, but not as much as I used to be! sandie

Safire said...

217...more type A than I thought! But hey, seems to be working for me. :)

Andrea said...

212 here. I think that has me in the middle but there were a few that I wasn't sure how I wanted to / should answer ... oops! :>

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Andrea, I'm a 212 also. I guess most people are in the 200 range.

Melissa said...

I came here to check out your muffin tin, but the type B in me got distracted and interested in this post instead. I scored a 136. :o)

warren said...

I am in the middle which is a nice change because I didn't used to be that way...I am mellowing I guess...

Paul Workman said...

94, definately a B.

Myya said...

I scored 172... That is probably about right, I am Type A with some things & Type B with most. How fun! :)

Anonymous said...

207 dead center. - Mary Jo