Do you have a Type A Personality? Are you always on time for appointments, do you take work home, do two things at once, always feel rushed? If so, you could be coronary-prone.
For many years scientists have been studying Type A behaviour, a behaviour pattern which may place individuals at risk of coronary heart disease. It's characterised by traits such as impatience, aggressiveness, a sense of time urgency and the desire to achieve recognition and advancement. Those exhibiting it have a hyper awareness of time and thus walk, eat and perform most activities rapidly.
They are often workaholics, and highly-driven individuals who, in turn, drive other people hard. Successive tests based on interviews of TABP subjects also suggest that people with Type A behaviour tend to present physical manifestations; i.e., facial tension, rapid speech, prolepsis (interruption of others' speech), tongue and teeth clicking, and the audible forced inspiration of air.
Type A/Type B.
Type A or Type B characteristics reflect an individual's desire for achievement, perfectionism, competitiveness, and ability to relax.
Type A
Type A employees feel competitive, are prompt for appointments, do things quickly, always feel rushed, and are often angry and hostile.
Type B
Individuals are relaxed, take one thing at a time, and express their feelings.
Completing this questionnaire can help determine whether you have a Type A or Type B personality.
Circle one number for each of the statements below which best reflects the way you behave in your everyday life. For example, if you’re generally on time for appointments, for the first point you would circle a number between 7 and 11. If you’re usually casual about appointments, you would circle one of the lower numbers between 1 and 5.
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Casual about appointments
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Never late
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Not competitive
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Very competitive
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Good listener
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Anticipates what others are going to say (nods, attempts to finish for them)
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Never feel rushed (even under pressure)
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Always rushed
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Can wait patiently
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Impatient while waiting
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Takes things one at a time
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Tries to do many things at once; thinks about what will do next
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Slow deliberate talker
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Emphatic in speech fast and forceful
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Cares about satisfying him/herself no matter what others may think
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Wants good job recognised by others
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Slow doing things
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Fast (eating, walking, etc.)
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Easy going
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Hard driving (pushing yourself and others)
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Expresses feelings
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Hides feelings
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Many outside interests
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Few interests outside work/home
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Unambitious
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Ambitious
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Casual
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
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Eager to get things done
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Source: Cooper’s adaptation of the Bortner Type A Scale.
Now score your responses by totalling the numbers circled. The interpretation of your score is as follows:
Number of Points Type of Personality
85 or more Type A
(You’re coronary prone)
Less than 84 Type B
(You’re a survivor)