The Benefits of Knowing Your Personality Type

Are you a go-getter, always striving for perfection and staying late at the office?

Or are you a laid-back, go-with-the-flow type of person who loves to relax and socialise?

These differences in personality traits are the basis of the Type A and Type B personalities.

In this article, we will explore this theory and the key distinctions between these two types. You can test it yourself and check your type at the end if it.

If you’re interested in self-development, you probably LOVE learning more about yourself. I get you – I’m the same way! I’ve always been passionate about psychology and analysing human behaviour.

One reason people enjoy personality tests is because they unravel hidden traits they might not have suspected that they had.

People are naturally self-absorbed.

It’s how our brains work. They push us into crazy ways of self-discovery like horoscopes or tarot readings to get more knowledge that can benefit us.

Evolution made us self-focus. After all, our survival depended on knowing our strenghts and weaknesses. It’s what helped our ancestors survive and thrive.

Knowing your personality type will help you easily identify your strengths and weaknesses- you will know what to work on and which skills to use when you face obstacles.

As humans, we are all unique. But are we that unique?

We share common patterns in the way we think and act.

When you realise this, you will feel better about yourself as a part of a society with like-minded individuals. You will feel less alone.

By knowing your personality, you will choose better suited friends or partners. You will save yourself the disappointment of mixing with the wrong kind of people.

It will make you feel more confident in yourself and your opinions when someone disagrees with you. You will just see that your way of thinking isn’t “wrong”, it’s just different. That’ll give you a little push to be more assertive when you need to.

Knowing yourself will make you strong and smarter than manipulators.

It will empower you so you’ll no longer be an easy prey for narcissists and users.

“Of course I love personality tests! Where do I start?”

There are so many fascinating personality tests out there. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (The MBTI 16-personalities test)
• The Emotional intelligence (EQ) test
• The Big Five personality test (OCEAN model)
• The Enneagram test
• The DISC personality test
• The Hogan personality inventory (HPI)
• The HEXACO personality theory
• The Dark triad personality test
• The Colour personality test
• The Belbin team roles test; and many, many more.

There’s even astrological chart analysis, which can reveal tons of fascinating insights based on the exact time and place you were born. Whether you believe in astrology or not is another story…

What is the Type A and type B personality theory?

The Type A and Type B personality theory was developed by two American cardiologists, Meyer Friedman and Ray H. Rosenman, in the 1950s.

They were studying heart disease and wanted to see if certain personality traits might be linked to heart health.

What did they discover?

One day, something unusual caught their attention in the clinic: the chairs in their waiting room were unusually worn at the edges.

Not just normal wear, the front parts of the seats were much more damaged than the backs. A cleaner mentioned that patients often sat on the edge of their seats, fidgeting, as if they were impatient to leave. This made the doctors wonder: could personality be connected to heart disease?

To find out, they studied a large group of men, tracking behaviors, stress levels, and heart conditions over several years. They noticed a clear pattern and eventually divided people into two main personality types.

Type A Personality

People with Type A traits tend to be:
✔️ Highly competitive
✔️ Impatient
✔️ Ambitious
✔️ Hardworking
✔️ Always in a hurry
✔️ Easily stressed or frustrated

They often multitask, speak quickly, and feel a constant sense of urgency. While these traits can drive success at work and in life, they also put Type A individuals at a higher risk for heart disease due to chronic stress and pressure.

Type B Personality

People with Type B traits tend to be:
✔️ More relaxed and easygoing
✔️ Patient
✔️ Less competitive
✔️ Enjoy life at a slower pace
✔️ Handle stress better

Type B individuals tend to be calmer and are generally less prone to heart-related issues.

Why It Matters

Friedman and Rosenman discovered that Type A individuals had a higher risk of heart attacks compared to Type B individuals. They detailed their findings in the book Type A Behavior and Your Heart.

Their research was among the first to show that stress and personality can directly impact physical health.

Today, psychologists recognize that personality is far more complex than just Type A or Type B, but the theory remains a useful framework for understanding stress management and work-life balance.

Are You More Type A or Type B? Take this quick TEST:

For each question, pick the answer that sounds most like you.

1. How do you feel about deadlines?

A) I love them! They keep me moving.
B) They’re fine, but I don’t stress too much.

2. How do you walk?

A) Fast, like I’m on a mission.
B) At a relaxed, steady pace.

3. When you’re waiting in line, how do you feel?

A) Annoyed. Hurry up already!
B) It’s fine, I’ll just wait.

4. How do you eat your meals?

A) Quickly, I’ve got things to do.
B) Slowly, I enjoy my food.

5. Do you multitask a lot?

A) Yes, always juggling things.
B) Not really, I focus on one thing at a time.

6. How do you react to being stuck in traffic?

A) I get frustrated and try to find a way around it.
B) It’s out of my control, so I just go with the flow.

7. How do you feel about competition?

A) I love it! Winning feels great.
B) I don’t mind losing, it’s just for fun.

8. How often do you check the time?

A) A lot, I like to stay on schedule.
B) Not often, I just go with the flow.

9. How do you usually plan your day?

A) I make a schedule and stick to it.
B) I just go with whatever happens.

10. Do you take breaks during work?

A) Rarely, I just power through.
B) Yes, I need to recharge.

11. How do you handle mistakes?

A) I get frustrated and try to fix them fast.
B) I don’t stress too much, mistakes happen.

12. How do you feel about relaxation?

A) I feel lazy if I relax too much.
B) It’s important to take it easy sometimes.

13. When you go on vacation, how do you plan it?

A) I make a full itinerary with every detail.
B) I just go and see what happens.

14. How do you feel about taking risks?

A) I like to take risks if they help me succeed.
B) I prefer to play it safe.

15. Do you get impatient easily?

A) Yes, waiting drives me crazy.
B) Not really, I’m pretty patient.

Scoring

• Mostly A’s? You’re more Type A – ambitious, competitive, and driven, but you might need to slow down sometimes.
• Mostly B’s? You’re more Type B – relaxed, patient, and easygoing, but you might need a push sometimes.
• A mix of both? You have traits of both types, balancing ambition with relaxation.

Is there a type C personality?

Of course – humans are more complex than just Type A or Type B. Very few people fit neatly into one category.

The most interesting individuals are often a mix of seemingly incompatible traits. For example, someone who is relaxed and easy-going on the surface but quietly strong-willed and assertive underneath.

Or the “ruthless empath” – a person who deeply understands emotions yet remains highly pragmatic, strategic, and even cutthroat when necessary.

Think of Steve Jobs: a visionary who inspired millions but was also notorious for his brutal management style. Or Tony Stark, Iron Man, a genius who cares deeply yet can be arrogant and ruthless.

You could say the most intriguing people are Type C.

We naturally try to categorize people and predict their reactions, but those who can’t be easily figured out are often the most charismatic.

People who can’t easily be figured out are much more interesting and that makes them charismatic. Curious how to develop that kind of charisma? Check out this practical guide.

Wondering what to read next?

See how to develop a cold personality

Why you should keep your plans secret

How to read people like an open book

The reasons people talk down to you

Signs you may have an anger problem

The reasons many people slack off at work and “quiet quit”

TheThinkAbout is a website based on psychology in practice and experience.

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