Type A Personality Myth
The Origins of the Type A Personality Myth
Have you ever been called “Type A”? It’s a label that’s often thrown around to describe someone who’s competitive, impatient, and ambitious. But did you know that this term wasn’t actually coined by psychologists? In fact, it was invented by two cardiologists who were working with the tobacco industry in the 1950s.
Cigarettes were getting a bad reputation at the time due to their links with cancer, and tobacco companies were desperate to shift the blame onto something else. So, they funded research to try and link personality traits to the risk of heart disease. The two cardiologists published a study in 1959, describing Type A and Type B personalities and linking Type A to heart disease.
Some of the traits that they included in their definition of Type A were bizarre, such as “excessive gesturing” and “general air of impatience”. The tobacco industry claimed that it wasn’t cigarettes that led to heart disease, but rather Type A people who were more likely to smoke due to their aggressive and impulsive behavior.
However, the majority of follow-up studies did not find a significant link between Type A personality and heart disease. The tobacco industry continued to fund this research for 40 years until the late 90s, when a court decision forced them to turn over nearly 40,000 documents revealing the extent of their manipulation of health research.
It’s interesting to note that personality research has come a long way since then. Today, most psychologists use the Big Five or the OCEAN model to map personality traits on a spectrum, rather than binary categories of Type A or Type B. However, the legacy of the Type A myth reminds us of the danger of corporate manipulation of research and the importance of ethical standards in scientific research.
The Unlikely Partnership Between Cardiologists and the Tobacco Industry
It’s surprising to think that the concept of Type A and Type B personalities, which is so commonly used today, was actually invented by two cardiologists working with the tobacco industry. In the 1950s, cigarettes were getting a bad reputation due to their links with cancer, and tobacco companies were keen to shift the blame elsewhere.
The two cardiologists published a study in 1959, describing Type A and Type B personalities and linking Type A to heart disease. Some of the traits they included in their definition of Type A were rather strange, such as “excessive gesturing” and “general air of impatience”. The tobacco industry claimed that it wasn’t cigarettes that led to heart disease, but rather Type A people who were more likely to smoke due to their aggressive and impulsive behavior.
The tobacco industry continued to fund research on Type A and Type B personalities for 40 years until the late 90s, when a court decision forced them to turn over nearly 40,000 documents revealing the extent of their manipulation of health research.
The partnership between cardiologists and the tobacco industry is an example of how corporate interests can influence scientific research. It’s a reminder of the importance of ethical standards in scientific research and the danger of allowing corporate interests to influence scientific findings. While the Type A personality myth has been debunked, the legacy of the partnership between the tobacco industry and cardiologists continues to influence the way we think about health and personality today.
Gaslighting and the Tobacco Industry’s Manipulation of Health Research
The tobacco industry’s manipulation of health research is an example of gaslighting, a term used to describe a form of psychological manipulation where a person or group makes someone question their own sanity or perception of reality.
The tobacco industry funded research on Type A and Type B personalities to try and shift the blame for heart disease away from cigarettes and onto the supposed personality traits of those who smoked. They claimed that Type A people were more likely to smoke due to their aggressive and impulsive behavior, and that it was this behavior that led to their risk of heart disease.
This form of gaslighting allowed the tobacco industry to continue selling cigarettes without taking responsibility for the harm they caused. It also highlights the dangers of corporate interests influencing scientific research and public health policy.
The legacy of the tobacco industry’s manipulation of health research reminds us of the importance of ethical standards in scientific research and the need for transparency in funding sources. While psychology research has come a long way since the Type A personality myth, we must remain vigilant against corporate manipulation of scientific research in all fields.
The Big Five Personality Traits and the OCEAN Model
While the Type A personality myth has been debunked, personality research has continued to evolve. Today, researchers use the Big Five personality traits or the OCEAN model to understand personality.
The Big Five personality traits include openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Each trait exists on a spectrum, and most people fall somewhere in between the extremes. For example, someone may be high in extraversion but also have some introverted tendencies.
The OCEAN model is a way of understanding how these traits relate to each other. Openness to experience reflects someone’s level of creativity and imagination. Conscientiousness relates to how organised and responsible someone is. Extraversion is associated with sociability and assertiveness. Agreeableness reflects how cooperative and compassionate someone is. Neuroticism is linked to emotional instability and anxiety.
These models represent a more nuanced understanding of personality than the binary Type A and Type B dichotomy. By understanding the various traits that make up someone’s personality, we can gain insights into their behaviour and motivations.
While personality research has come a long way since the Type A personality myth, there is still much to learn about how personality affects health and wellbeing. By continuing to study personality traits, researchers can gain insights into how to help people live happier, healthier lives.
Personality and Its Link to Health
While the link between Type A personality and heart disease turned out to be a myth, research has shown that personality traits can affect health in other ways. For example, neuroticism has been linked to a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder, as well as gastrointestinal conditions. On the other hand, conscientiousness has consistently been linked to good health outcomes, with more conscientious people tending to live longer.
It’s important to note that personality traits are not predetermined or fixed. Instead, they exist on a spectrum, and individuals can learn to adjust their behaviour and build healthy habits. By understanding their personal triggers, energisers, and managers, individuals can learn to manage their personality traits to better suit their well-being.
For example, those who are more neurotic can identify what makes them anxious or nervous and develop strategies to manage those situations. Those who are more introverted can set goals and deadlines to get things done before entering crowded spaces. Those who are more laid back can use daily to-do lists, while those who are detail-oriented can plan some downtime for themselves.
Overall, understanding the link between personality and health can help individuals make more informed decisions about their well-being. By recognising the impact that personality traits can have on health, individuals can learn to build healthy habits that support their physical and emotional well-being.
The Benefits of Understanding Your Personality
Understanding your personality can have many benefits, from improving your relationships to boosting your productivity. By identifying your strengths and weaknesses, you can learn to navigate your life in a way that better suits your well-being.
One exercise that can help is to identify your personal triggers, energisers, and managers. This can help you better understand what motivates you and what drains your energy. For example, if you’re more introverted, you may find that you feel drained after spending time in crowds. In this case, setting goals and deadlines for yourself can help you get things done before entering crowded spaces.
By understanding your personality traits, you can also learn to adjust your behaviour to better suit your well-being. For example, if you’re more detail-oriented, you may need to plan downtime for yourself to avoid burnout. On the other hand, if you’re more laid back, a daily to-do list may help you stay on track.
Overall, understanding your personality can help you build healthy habits and make more informed decisions about your well-being. By recognising the impact that personality traits can have on your life, you can learn to navigate your world in a way that supports your physical and emotional health.
How to Adjust Your Behavior to Better Suit Your Well-being
Adjusting your behavior to better suit your well-being is a process that takes time and effort, but it can be done. Here are a few tips to get started:
- Identify your triggers: What situations or people tend to cause you stress or anxiety? By identifying these triggers, you can learn to avoid or manage them more effectively.
- Set boundaries: If you find that certain people or situations are draining your energy, it may be time to set some boundaries. This could mean saying “no” to a social event or taking a break from a toxic relationship.
- Practice self-care: Self-care means different things to different people, but the goal is always the same: to prioritize your physical and emotional well-being. This could mean anything from taking a bubble bath to going for a walk in nature.
- Develop healthy habits: Healthy habits, such as exercise, good sleep hygiene, and a healthy diet, can all contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Remember, adjusting your behavior is not about changing who you are, but rather about learning to work with your strengths and weaknesses to achieve your goals. By taking a proactive approach to your well-being, you can create a life that feels more authentic and fulfilling.
Brushing Up on Statistics with Brilliant’s Science and Maths Enrichment Platform
Statistics can be a daunting subject, but with the right resources, it can also be a fascinating one. That’s where Brilliant comes in - a science and maths enrichment learning platform that offers courses and challenges designed to make learning fun and accessible.
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, Brilliant has something to offer. Their daily challenges and short courses provide a great way to brush up on your stats knowledge, while their more in-depth courses offer a deeper dive into the subject.
And the best part? Brilliant is designed for all levels, so whether you’re just starting out or you’re already a statistics pro, you’ll find something to challenge and engage you.
Plus, as a BrainCraft viewer, you can get 20% off the annual premium subscription. It’s a great way to support the creation of more videos like this one, while also gaining access to an amazing learning platform.
So why not give Brilliant a try? With their fun and engaging approach to learning, you might just find yourself falling in love with statistics.
Conclusion
Personality is a complex and fascinating subject, and our understanding of it has come a long way since the days of the Type A and Type B personality myth. As we’ve seen, the origins of this myth are rooted in an unlikely partnership between cardiologists and the tobacco industry, which used it to deflect attention away from the dangers of smoking.
But despite the flaws in the Type A personality myth, personality traits do have an impact on our health and well-being. The Big Five personality traits, as measured by the OCEAN model, offer a more nuanced understanding of personality, and can help us identify our strengths and weaknesses in order to make positive changes in our lives.
One of the biggest benefits of understanding our personality is that it can help us adjust our behavior to better suit our well-being. By identifying our personal triggers, energizers, and managers, we can take steps to manage our anxiety, make the most of our strengths, and avoid burnout.
And if you’re looking to deepen your understanding of statistics - a subject that is increasingly important in today’s data-driven world - Brilliant’s science and maths enrichment platform is a great resource. With their engaging courses and challenges, you can gain the knowledge and skills you need to thrive in any field.
In the end, the story of the Type A personality myth is a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on simplistic stereotypes to understand ourselves and others. By hugging the complexity of our personalities, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the unique qualities that make us who we are, and find new ways to live happier, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.
