The Type A and Type B personality concept, developed in the 1950s by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman, describes two contrasting personality types. Type A individuals are characterized as competitive, ambitious, impatient, and highly time-conscious, while Type B personalities are more relaxed and less frantic.
Friedman and Rosenman initially hypothesized that Type A individuals faced a greater risk of developing coronary heart disease, an insight sparked by observing the anxiously worn chairs in their waiting room. However, this direct link has faced considerable controversy and partial rejection due to later studies, some of which were influenced by tobacco industry funding.
Despite the debate regarding the direct health link, this influential theory significantly impacted the field of health psychology, fostering the study of how mental states affect physical well-being. Modern psychologists sometimes view the original concept as oversimplified, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of personality traits is often necessary.