Type A/Type B Personality

Type A/Type B personality is one of the most researched personality constructs in relation to health and work behavior. In contrast to their Type B counterparts, Type A individuals tend to try to accomplish as much as possible in little time, set high expectations for themselves, and are very self-critical. The Type A personality is characterized by specific behavioral dispositions, such as aggressiveness, competitiveness, impatience, time pressure, and excessive striving for achievement. Twins studies suggest significant heritability for the majority of these facets. The prevalence of Type A personality in the general population is approximately 50% and up to 75% in certain risk groups.

Although the Type A individual is often negatively portrayed (e.g., as easily angered, hostile, and impatient), the personality construct is dichotomous, comprising ...