Am I a type A personality - and should I care? | Arwa Mahdawi

The Concept of Type A Personality: Fact or Fiction?

Researchers have long been fascinated by personality types, with various theories and frameworks emerging over the years. One such concept that gained significant attention in the 1950s was the "Type A" personality. This classification was inspired by a chance observation made by a secretary at a medical office, who noted that patients with coronary disease tended to be more punctual and preferred hard, upright chairs rather than comfortable sofas.

The idea behind Type A personality was later popularized by cardiologists Dr Ray Rosenman and Dr Meyer Friedman in their 1959 paper. They posited that individuals exhibiting this type of behavior were more likely to experience heart attacks due to their competitiveness, productivity obsession, and aggressive work habits. The concept also inspired a bestselling book, "Type A Behaviour and Your Heart."

However, the Type A personality concept has been met with skepticism over the years. Critics argue that it was heavily monetized by those who developed the theory, including the tobacco industry, which used the findings to downplay the link between smoking and cancer.

Fast-forward to today, where social media platforms like TikTok have led to a resurgence of interest in personality typing. The author of an article recently found themselves trapped in a cycle of procrastination while researching this topic. Despite the numerous theories and frameworks that claim to explain human behavior, it's essential to approach such concepts with a healthy dose of skepticism.

The author concludes that most personality "science" is flawed but acknowledges our deep-seated desire for organizational systems that help us make sense of ourselves and the world. Ultimately, their takeaway message is that they need to work on overcoming procrastination – a common struggle shared by many.

Ultimately, it's crucial to recognize the limitations of any theory or framework when it comes to understanding human behavior. By doing so, we can separate fact from fiction and focus on developing strategies that genuinely improve our lives rather than relying on pseudoscientific explanations.

idk about this type a personality thing... feels like just another way for ppl to be told they're being too competitive or something i mean, have u ever heard of the 80/20 rule? that's basically a type a personality trait if u ask me - always trying to optimize and get more done in less time . but seriously, shouldn't we be focusing on individual differences rather than trying to fit ppl into neat little boxes like type a or b? what do u guys think about this whole thing?

I mean I think its kinda funny how this concept just started because some secretary noticed patients with heart problems sat in hard chairs . But honestly, the fact that it's still being talked about today is wild. Like, we need to be careful not to get too caught up in these theories and remember that people are way more complex than a label can ever explain . And yeah, I totally get why you got stuck on TikTok researching this topic - its like, the ultimate procrastination trap . Anyway, I think its great that we're having this conversation about being skeptical of personality typing and trying to separate fact from fiction . We should definitely be critical of these theories and focus on what really works in our lives

Man, you know what gets me? These personality typing things... back in my day we didn't need all these fancy categories to figure out who we were. We just lived life and learned from each other's mistakes. This Type A personality thing seems like some marketing gimmick to me - I mean, did you see that paper by Rosenman and Friedman? It was just a bunch of cardiologists making up a theory because they wanted to sell books . And don't even get me started on TikTok - it's just people sharing their lives like we need some algorithm to tell us who we are . We need to be careful not to get caught up in all this pseudoscience and focus on the real stuff: being genuine, working hard, and treating others with respect

I'm not sure about this Type A personality thingy ... I mean, I know some people who fit the bill - super competitive, always on the go, and can get a bit aggressive when things don't go their way. But is that really what causes heart attacks? My aunt had a heart attack and she wasn't exactly Type A personality type. She was actually super chill . And I think it's weird how some companies tried to use this theory to make tobacco sound less bad... like, come on! The author's point about needing to separate fact from fiction is spot on though we need to be cautious when it comes to personality tests and theories.

I'm totally with you on this... I mean, I've seen people try to label themselves as Type A or Type B, but honestly, it feels like just another excuse for us to avoid being ourselves . And don't even get me started on how our society is so obsessed with productivity and competition – can't we just take a chill pill and enjoy life? I'm guilty of procrastinating too (who isn't, right?), but at least I acknowledge my flaws and try to work on them . The thing is, personality typing is just one way to explain human behavior, and we need to be careful not to oversimplify or overgeneralize . So yeah, let's approach this with a critical eye and focus on personal growth rather than trying to fit into some neat little category . And btw, I'm still stuck in that cycle of procrastination ...

I was reading this article about Type A personality and I gotta say, it's got me thinking... all these theories and frameworks about human behavior are kinda like trying to find the perfect filter on social media - it's just not that simple. I mean, is being competitive or hardworking really a bad thing? My grandma used to be super organized and punctual, and she lived to be 102! And what's with this whole "procrastination" thing? It's like, we're all guilty of putting things off sometimes... even me . Maybe instead of trying to fit into these narrow categories, we should just focus on being our best selves and figuring it out as we go .

I'm still not convinced about this Type A personality thing . I mean, is it really just about being competitive or productivity-obsessed? It feels like a bunch of labels created to sell books and courses . And can we talk about how it's been used to justify some pretty sketchy stuff, like blaming smokers for their health issues? Not cool.

But what I do think is interesting is how social media has brought this concept back into the spotlight. It's crazy how easily people get sucked into online quizzes and personality tests . Like, have you seen those TikTok "are you a Type A personality" challenges? They're hilarious and entertaining, but also kinda... revealing.

Ultimately, I think we need to be more mindful of what we're consuming when it comes to personality theories and frameworks . It's easy to get caught up in the hype, but at the end of the day, our behavior is way more complex than just one label or classification can capture .

I gotta say, Type A personality still feels like a bit of a myth to me . I mean, we've all got some level of competitiveness in us, but is it really the cause of heart attacks? It just seems like a convenient explanation that was kinda sold to us back in the 50s. And now with social media, everyone's trying to tell you what type of personality you are and what you need to do to "overcome" your tendencies... meanwhile, I'm just over here struggling to get out of bed in the morning . At the end of the day, it's all just a bit too simplistic for me. Can't we just be human and mess up sometimes?

I'm totally team "fact-free" when it comes to personality typing! I mean, have you seen all the different categories and labels we've got? Type A, Type B, Enneagram... it's like trying to solve a puzzle with too many pieces! And don't even get me started on how much money companies are making off these theories. It's all just a bunch of hooey if you ask me. I love that the author said we need to approach this stuff with skepticism - it's always better to question what we think we know than to blindly follow some theory or framework.

Honestly, I'm not sure if Type A personality is really a thing . I mean, I know some people who are super competitive and driven, but I've also seen others who aren't exactly the most relaxed and laid back, yet they're still healthy and happy . And what's with all these theories about personalities anyway? It just seems like a way to label ourselves without really understanding what makes us tick . I think it's cool that TikTok has brought it up again, though - maybe we can use it as a chance to have some real conversations about how we deal with stress and anxiety .

Wow I mean, who hasn't been there with procrastination? It's like, I get why they're skeptical about Type A personality, but at the same time, it's kinda true... I do tend to stress out if I'm not meeting my deadlines ️, and my mom always says I'm too competitive when it comes to video games . But is that really a fact or just me being annoying?

I think its pretty telling how the Type A personality concept was kinda hijacked by the tobacco industry back in the day. Its not surprising to me that all this rehashed research is now being fueled by social media platforms like TikTok - it just feels like a modern-day manifestation of people trying to find meaning in their lives through some quick-fix "science" I mean, weve been here before with personality typing and other pseudoscientific explanations for human behavior. Its always the same story: some researcher comes along with some catchy idea or framework, and then it gets blown up into a full-fledged thing by marketers and publishers trying to make a buck But at the end of the day, I think its really refreshing to see someone taking a step back and saying "you know what, this stuff might not be entirely true".

Ugh, I'm so over this Type A personality concept it's like everyone's trying to label us into some neat little boxes and tell us how we should be behaving. And don't even get me started on how the tobacco industry exploited this whole thing for their own gain... it's just too much.

I mean, think about it - a secretary notices that patients with coronary disease tend to have certain habits and then cardiologists come along and turn it into some sort of personality trait? It sounds like a bunch of hooey to me . And now we're supposed to believe that being organized and driven is a bad thing? No thanks.

But what really gets my goat is how everyone's jumping on the bandwagon with social media and TikTok, all because they want to be part of some cool "personality typing" movement . Meanwhile, I'm over here just trying to adult and get stuff done without too much drama. Can we just focus on being human and figuring things out as we go?

Omg u guys Type A personality is def not just about being super competitive lol! Idk if it's actually true that ppl w/ this type r more likely 2 get heart attacks but i think its all abt how we perceive ourselves & others . Social media has made me realize how much I procrastinate tbh . Like I need a system to help me organize my thoughts & stay focused! But, gotta keep an eye on these personality theories tho - dont wanna be misled by pseudoscience .

You know what's wild? We spend so much time trying to figure out who we are and how the world works, but most of these theories just end up being a bunch of labels and stereotypes . I mean, have you seen some of the personality tests online? They're like puzzles that try to fit us into neat little boxes, but life's too messy for that .

I think what's more interesting is understanding why we respond to certain situations in certain ways. Like, why do I procrastinate when it comes to research tasks? Is it because I'm a perfectionist? Because I get anxious about deadlines? Or is it just because I love scrolling through social media ?

For me, the whole Type A personality thing seems like a bit of a red herring. Like, does being competitive really increase your risk of heart attacks? Or are there other factors at play?

I'm not buying into this Type A personality thing anymore . It's all just a bunch of BS marketing to sell books and courses. I mean, have you seen the so-called "tests" online? They're like trying to fit me into a tiny box that says I'm either a perfectionist or a total slacker . And don't even get me started on how they've got companies like TikTok making a killing off of it . Meanwhile, we're supposed to be all about "self-discovery" and finding our inner balance? Give me a break . We're complex humans with messy lives and contradictory feelings – can't we just acknowledge that without some fancy-pants theory or framework?

I'm totally burned out just reading about this Type A personality thing is super interesting but also kinda overwhelming - all those categories like achievement-oriented vs. interpersonal vs. emotional stability... it's like trying to fit into a too-small pair of shoes and then being expected to perform in them. And don't even get me started on the whole correlation vs causation issue - I mean, just because people with Type A personalities have higher heart rates doesn't necessarily mean they cause their own heart problems! The thing is, our brains are super complex and can't be reduced to simple labels or categories... we need to keep exploring and finding new ways to understand ourselves

I was just thinking about how my couch is way more comfy than that stiff chair the secretary at the medical office used to sit in all day . Anyway, I'm not buying into this Type A personality thing. My friends are always like "why do you never meet deadlines?" and I'm all " chill, dude" but I guess that's part of the stereotype... And yeah, it's wild how much the tobacco industry got involved in this whole thing . Can we talk about TikTok trends instead? Have you seen those videos where people try to solve puzzles with their feet ?

You know what really gets me thinking about Type A personality? Is it just a reflection of how fast-paced our world has become ? We're all stuck in this never-ending cycle of productivity, where meeting deadlines and crushing goals is the ultimate measure of success. But at what cost? Our mental health takes a hit, we sacrifice our relationships, and we forget to breathe .

I think it's interesting that this concept has been around for decades, but we're still trying to figure out if it's fact or fiction . Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between? Maybe Type A personality is just a symptom of something deeper – like our collective fear of not being enough or feeling left behind .

We need to be careful not to get too caught up in labeling people as "Type A" or "Type B". It's not about categorizing ourselves, but about understanding our own motivations and desires. And let's be real, who hasn't struggled with procrastination at some point? It's time to focus on developing strategies that work for us, rather than trying to fit into a predetermined mold.