As human beings, we tend to categorize ourselves. One such categorization we tend to use is the idea of personality "types." We often hear people referred to as "Type A personalities," but what does this really mean? Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? Chances are you already know someone whom you believe to be a Type A personality. Perhaps you yourself are a Type A.
Personality type theory has its roots in the work of psychologist Carl Jung, though the practice of separating people into Type A and Type B patterns would not come about until the 1950s. There is a lesser known Type AB, which is a mix of A and B types, for people who are more difficult to classify as wholly one type or the other. The types themselves denote patterns of behavior, with Type A behaviors being most famously linked to as potential risk indicators for heart attacks and other coronary ailments, by cardiologists R.H. Rosenman and Meyer Friedman.
There are differing opinions in the scientific community on which behaviors make up Type A Behavior, though there seems to be a general agreement that Time Urgency/Impatience and Free-Floating Hostility/Aggressiveness are always present in Type A individuals.
Instructions
1. Observe the individual's habits regarding time urgency. Time urgent individuals will often complain about waiting in line, interrupt conversations, walk or drive rapidly, and constantly gripe about how little time they have to do all the things they have planned. Frequently, these individuals have scheduled so many things during a day that worrying about whether or not they will accomplish those things is a legitimate concern.
2. Determine whether or not the individual in question tends act in a hostile manner. Free-floating hostility presents itself as rudeness, having a quick temper, and as the proverbial "making mountains out of molehills." If things do not go as quickly or efficiently as planned, the Type A will often become frustrated or angry and resort to aggressive behavior as an outlet. In our increasingly speedy, digital download world, it might seem that we all exhibit these traits from time to time, but Type A individuals will have these traits chronically.
3. Watch the person in question and determine if he or she has strong tendencies towards achievement orientation. Take note, you Renaissance women and men. If working long hours and cramming in as many projects in a day as possible sounds like your usual modus operandi, you fall into this category. In layman's terms, this is what many people call a "workaholic."
4. Determine if the person in question is competitive. Competing may well be good in a professional environment, but this trait also spills over into the personal lives of a Type A individual.
5. Study the physical characteristics of the person in question. Physical characteristics of a Type A personality include facial tension, tics, dark or baggy circles under the eyes, and profuse sweating (especially on parts of the face like the forehead or lips).
6. Observe whether or not the person in question tends to keep their emotions secret. Some Type A personalities find it difficult or time-consuming to explain their emotional inner life to another person, even a close friend or family member. As a result, some Type A individuals give the impression of being secretive or emotionally unavailable.
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