The 'Type A' Personality: Fact or Fiction?
For decades, we've been told that certain personality types are more prone to stress, anxiety, and even heart disease. The "Type A" personality, popularized by cardiologists Dr Ray Rosenman and Dr Meyer Friedman in the 1950s, suggests that individuals who are overly competitive, driven, and perfectionistic are at a higher risk of cardiovascular problems.
Their groundbreaking research - which included observing patients' behavior while waiting for appointments - led to the identification of these characteristics. Patients with coronary disease were indeed more likely to arrive on time, sit in hard upholstered chairs, and fidget nervously before their names were called.
However, the story takes a familiar turn. The Type A personality concept was later co-opted by the tobacco industry as a way to downplay the link between smoking and cancer. Instead, they argued that smokers' high levels of competitiveness and stress actually increased their risk of developing the disease.
Fast forward to today, and we're seeing a new wave of personality typing obsessing our social media feeds - especially on TikTok. But beneath all this fascination with categorizing ourselves lies a more complex reality.
It turns out that many personality theories are not as scientifically sound as they seem. The humoral theory of Hippocrates, the Myers-Briggs personality test, and even Type A/B are just a few examples of frameworks that have been debunked or discredited over time.
Despite this, our desire for organisational systems to make sense of ourselves is still very much alive. So while it's essential to approach personality typing with a healthy dose of skepticism, it can also be an invaluable tool in understanding our own motivations and behaviors - especially when we're trying to overcome deep-seated issues like procrastination.
As Arwa Mahdawi notes, the most important takeaway from all this is that we need to address our personal struggles head-on. Whether you identify as Type A or Type B, it's crucial to recognize that personality typing can be both a useful framework and a way of avoiding uncomfortable truths about ourselves - so next time you're tempted to fixate on your 'personality type', remember: the real work starts when we stop trying to fit into a predetermined box.
For decades, we've been told that certain personality types are more prone to stress, anxiety, and even heart disease. The "Type A" personality, popularized by cardiologists Dr Ray Rosenman and Dr Meyer Friedman in the 1950s, suggests that individuals who are overly competitive, driven, and perfectionistic are at a higher risk of cardiovascular problems.
Their groundbreaking research - which included observing patients' behavior while waiting for appointments - led to the identification of these characteristics. Patients with coronary disease were indeed more likely to arrive on time, sit in hard upholstered chairs, and fidget nervously before their names were called.
However, the story takes a familiar turn. The Type A personality concept was later co-opted by the tobacco industry as a way to downplay the link between smoking and cancer. Instead, they argued that smokers' high levels of competitiveness and stress actually increased their risk of developing the disease.
Fast forward to today, and we're seeing a new wave of personality typing obsessing our social media feeds - especially on TikTok. But beneath all this fascination with categorizing ourselves lies a more complex reality.
It turns out that many personality theories are not as scientifically sound as they seem. The humoral theory of Hippocrates, the Myers-Briggs personality test, and even Type A/B are just a few examples of frameworks that have been debunked or discredited over time.
Despite this, our desire for organisational systems to make sense of ourselves is still very much alive. So while it's essential to approach personality typing with a healthy dose of skepticism, it can also be an invaluable tool in understanding our own motivations and behaviors - especially when we're trying to overcome deep-seated issues like procrastination.
As Arwa Mahdawi notes, the most important takeaway from all this is that we need to address our personal struggles head-on. Whether you identify as Type A or Type B, it's crucial to recognize that personality typing can be both a useful framework and a way of avoiding uncomfortable truths about ourselves - so next time you're tempted to fixate on your 'personality type', remember: the real work starts when we stop trying to fit into a predetermined box.
I've always been skeptical about personality types being as rigid as they're made out to be. I mean, think about it - we all have moments where we're feeling really driven and competitive, but then we also know how to relax and chill. It's like our personalities are more fluid than that 
. And yeah, the whole Type A/B thing has been debunked, which is a shame because I loved using the Myers-Briggs test back in the day 
. But at the end of the day, it's about being aware of your habits and motivations, not getting stuck in a box that defines you 
. We're all a little bit messy, and that's what makes us human 
.
. Can't we just focus on actualizing our goals instead of worrying about whether we fit into some arbitrary box?
I mean, who needs labels when you're just tryin' to figure out what's goin' on in that head of yours? 
And yikes, the tobacco industry tryin' to co-opt Type A for their own gain is straight up sketchy 
. But at the same time, I get why we wanna have some structure and all that jazz... like, if it helps us overcome procrastination and whatnot 
️
. Just gotta be careful not to take it too far, you feel? 
. I mean, who needs to label themselves as Type A or B? It's just a fancy way of saying "I'm a human being with flaws and quirks"... which, let's be real, is just a normal part of life 
. And don't even get me started on how the tobacco industry totally co-opted this concept to downplay the smoking cancer thing... what a classic move 
.
. And honestly, if you start feeling like you're stuck in a "Type A" or "Type B" rut, just shake it off and try something new 
... your mind (and body) will thank you 
. Like, yeah, being competitive can be good for productivity and stuff, but when you take it to an extreme, it can turn into anxiety and burnout 
.
. But let's not get too caught up in trying to fit into a specific box or label - that's when the real work starts 
I mean, sure those traits can be problematic if they lead to burnout or an unhealthy obsession with success, but there are other factors at play too. For example, have you ever noticed how people who are naturally more anxious might also be more hard on themselves? It's not just about being Type A, it's about how we're wired and the environments we put ourselves in 
And now we've got TikTok creators trying to capitalize on our self-diagnosis, labeling us as Type A or B and selling us a narrative that might not be entirely accurate 
It's like, I get that personality typing can be useful, but at what cost? Do we risk getting stuck in these labels and forgetting that we're all complex, messy humans with no one-size-fits-all solutions... 
. And don't even get me started on how all these "scientists" keep debunking and rebranding their theories 
. I mean, what's really going on here? Are we just being pawns in some bigger game? 
It's like, we're so caught up in trying to figure out our personalities that we're forgetting the real issues at hand... or are they trying to distract us from something? 
, and everyone's trying to figure out their "Type" or whatever 
.
. We need to be honest with ourselves and acknowledge our flaws 
. Like, if you're a procrastinator (like me 
), it's not about figuring out what your personality type is, it's about taking control of your own struggles 
. Everyone's trying to show off their "Type" and get likes and followers 
. I mean, who needs labels like Type A or Type B to understand themselves? In my day, we didn't need all these fancy theories to figure out what made us tick (pun intended). We just kinda... figured it out ourselves 
.
. It's like, let's not forget where this stuff comes from. Anyway, I guess the point is that we should be mindful of what we're getting ourselves into when we start obsessing over our personalities on TikTok 
. Just remember, it's all about finding your own flow, not some predetermined box