Who am I?

Type A vs Type B personality

Driven and impatient, or relaxed and easygoing? The traits, the health research and a quick self-check.

Quick self-check

Rate each statement from 1 (not me) to 5 (very me). It takes one minute.

1. I feel restless when I have to wait in a queue or in traffic.

2. I often do two or three things at once.

3. I am very competitive, even in casual games.

4. I get irritated quickly when others are slow.

5. I feel guilty when I relax and do nothing.

6. I rarely feel rushed, even with a lot to do.

7. I can lose a game without it bothering me.

8. I like to take my time over meals.

9. I set myself strict deadlines, even when nobody asks.

10. People describe me as easygoing.

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Type A and Type B traits

Type A

  • Competitive and ambitious
  • Always short of time, hates waiting
  • Does several things at once
  • Impatient with slow people
  • Finds it hard to relax
  • Can become irritable or hostile under pressure

Type B

  • Relaxed and patient
  • Enjoys the process, not only the result
  • Rarely feels rushed
  • Slow to anger
  • Creative and reflective
  • Can put things off or lack urgency

Where the idea comes from

Type A and Type B were described in the 1950s by two American cardiologists, Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman, who noticed that many of their heart patients were driven, impatient and competitive. Later research gave a more nuanced picture: drive and ambition are not the problem. Hostility and chronic anger, one part of the Type A pattern, are what show the clearest link with heart disease.

Type C and Type D

Type C is used for people who are cooperative, patient and tend to hold back negative feelings such as anger. Type D ("distressed") describes people who often feel worried, irritable or low and keep those feelings to themselves in social situations. Type D has been studied mainly in heart patients.

Type A, Type B and the 16 personality types

These labels are separate from four-letter types, but there is overlap. People high in drive and discipline (often Judging types such as ENTJ and ESTJ) tend to show more Type A habits, while relaxed Perceiving types such as ISFP and ESFP often look more Type B. Our personality test measures Drive, Discipline and Calm directly, from 0 to 100.

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For fun and self-reflection. NineTraits tests are for entertainment and personal insight. They are not a clinical, psychological, medical or professional assessment, and they should not be used to make decisions about health, hiring, relationships or education. If you are struggling, please talk to a qualified professional. Full disclaimer