Do you fret easily over small things? Are you an aggressive perfectionist? Find out the answers from the Type A personality quiz given in the article below to see if you fall under this personality type.
There are many personality theories which attempt to classify different behavioral groups of people under distinct personality types. The Type A and B personality theory suggests that there are, broadly, people belonging to two types of personalities around the world, the types being Type A personality and Type B personality. Individuals falling under the Type A personalities are identified by some peculiar characteristics and individual traits – aggressiveness, irritability over minor issues, stickler for punctuality, perfectionism, ambition, seriousness towards commitment, highly competitive professional and social (sometimes personal as well) behavior.
People with Type B personality, on the other hand, are the most easygoing, laid back, chillaxed people around who take life easy and are not identified as bundles of nerves on the verge of a breakdown or an outburst! It has been suggested by eminent cardiologists of the 1950s, Dr. Meyer Friedman and Dr. Ray Roseman, that individuals falling under the Type A personalities are more susceptible than anyone else to fall victims to coronary heart disease, cardiac arrest and hypertension and are much more likely than Type B personality people to suffer from clinical stress! Before we proceed on to the quiz to find out whether you’re running a health gauntlet, let’s see what are Type A characteristics are that identify them as the high-strung, aggressive achievers that most of them are!
Type A Personality Quirks
So, what is a Type A person like? Following are the traits that distinguish these compulsive go-getters from the rest of the crowd! While these traits often take them places socially and professionally, being so high-strung all the time has its own set of health adversities.
- Since these people are always high-strung, Type A individuals often tend to carry themselves with tense and erect postures and always seem to be totally “into the situation”. Their ram rod disposition is often accompanied by sudden jerky movements – as if the brain signals are moving throughout the body and into the limbs in swift, sporadic bursts of electricity!
- Their voice is generally loud and clear and has an assertive, sometimes commanding, quality to it.
- Speed is how these people define life! They like speed in every activity they do and expect the same pace from others! Whether it is walking, talking, eating or completing a task, they prefer to be fast about it and get done with it as soon as possible! They get easily frustrated with people who, according to their standards, are slow at moving or performing tasks.
- Regardless of their love for speed, Type A people would never want to do away with a thing hastily by compromising quality – they are sticklers for perfection! Indeed, perfection is their mid name most of the time!
- As in work, so in time! They hate people who do not value time and are strict observers of the virtue of punctuality.
- Type A persons are very competitive and always try to leave their contemporaries behind in everything they do – right from excelling at work to picking up newspaper earlier than his neighbor! Unbelievable as it might seem, some pure A types do exhibit such aggressively competitive behavior which is the reason behind their constant high stress levels!
- Assertiveness and aggressiveness are instinctive to Type As. They love the hunt as much as the kill! Adrenaline rushing adventure sports like bungee jumping and competitive strategy games like monopoly and risk are staple among their favorite games!
Type A Personality Quiz
Take the following quiz to see how much you score on the Type A scale. Give yourself a 1 for every question that you answer in an affirmative and give yourself a zero for every negative answer. Add up the figures once you finish answering all the questions to get your score!
- Do you talk fast?
- Do you always reach places either a little before or right on time?
- Are you a fast eater?
- Are you always in a hurry to complete tasks?
- Have you ever found yourself involuntarily grinding your teeth when faced with a challenge or tense situation?
- Do you find yourself thinking of a lot many things when another person is speaking?
- Are you used to always getting your stuff done, no matter what?
- Do you find it difficult to completely trust other people?
- Do you often find it distressing to delegate work because you are doubtful of other people’s competencies?
- Do you multitask often?
- Are you considered as a chronic / compulsive workaholic by your family / friends / colleagues?
- Have you often been told to sit back and relax rather than trying to take active control of the situation?
- Do you often get headaches while tackling a difficult or heavy situation?
- Do you anger easily?
- Do you get easily impatient with people who are slower than you?
- Are you overtly competitive and are always on the lookout for outdoing your peers in just about any task?
- When playing a game, is it absolutely necessary for you to win? Do you feel bad when you lose a game?
- Do you feel lost or upset when you don’t have anything to do for even a short while?
Once you’ve finished taking this personality test, it’s time to check your scores. If you’ve answered at least ten of these questions with a “yes”, you really need to slow down! You may be running a risk of heart disease and hypertension! If you have answered about 7 – 9 of these questions in “yes”, you are a borderline Type A person. In case you have answered ALL of these 15 questions affirmatively – STOP RIGHT THERE! What do you think you’re doing to yourself! Slow down and get a breather, my dear friend – life is beautiful for only those who take the opportunity to stop and smell the flowers along the way!
Hope you got an idea about your personality type after taking this quiz! Being a go-getter is a wonderful trait but overdoing it may prove detrimental to your health and wellness! Relax a bit and slow down while you still can or a complete burnout is not very far away for you!
