Type 'A' Personality

[INTJoe]

I'm sure many of you have heard the phrase "Type A Personality" before. How does this type translate to the MBTI?

For those who don't know, the Type A person is competetive, fast-paced, cut-throat, offensive, dominating, "alpha male", schemer, promoter, salesperson type.

I'd say this has to be ESTP. Perhaps some other types fit the description as well? Which ones? Why does the ESTP have another "nickname"?

[malefide]

I'd say this possibly fits ESTJ as well, perhaps more so than ESTP. I speak only from personal experience, but all the ESTP people I have known have been fairly laid-back and non-offensive people...

[INTJoe]

Thank you for responding. I should have known not to start a thread here that didn't involve House or Fox Mulder.

Or maybe not many people have heard the term "Type A personality"?

[sriv]

I can classify many people into Type A, Type B, or the range in between and they could be spread out through MBTI. "Which type is more likely to be Type A?" is the right question.

[Uberfuhrer]

I always thought Type A was ExTx and Type B was IxFx, with ExFx and IxTx somewhere in between.

[malefide]

Thank you for responding. I should have known not to start a thread here that didn't involve House or Fox Mulder.

Or maybe not many people have heard the term "Type A personality"?

I thought the A/B personality classification was fairly well-known.

What Uberfuhrer is mentioning above makes some sense to me. I think "A" might be aligned with high extroversion and a very dominant T. Personally I have never felt either A or B fit me. I must be in the middle somewhere.

[ElstonGunn]

Personally I have never felt either A or B fit me. I must be in the middle somewhere.

You mean you don't think it's entirely accurate to categorize every person in the entire population into one of two groups?

I think any MBTI type could be a Type A. My understanding was that MBTI was a way of classifying people based on how they think, whereas the A/B Types were based on behavior (namely, whether or not you behave like a pushy, demanding prick with a major ego problem).

That being said the ExTx types do seem like they'd be the most strongly correlated. Good call on that.

[Randomnity]

In my experience, ExxJ could correlate as well as ExTx, or maybe even moreso. I know two ESFJs and they're both more "type A-like" than the ENTPs I know. The stereotyped type A sounds a lot like an ENTJ, or ESTJ.

Of course behaviour is not the same as preferences/thought patterns, but the latter often predicts the former with at least some degree of accuracy.

[meanlittlechimp]

I would say ENTJ would be the most type "A'

Second would be ESTJ

Third I would put ENTP/ESTP (depending on the context)

[Mafiaangel180]

I remember this from the 80s. It's complete crap in my eyes. Two categories for that many different types of people?? We've evolved into 16 types. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if we continued to evolve somehow.

[Uberfuhrer]

Isn't Type B a middle-of-the-road type while Type C is the farthest away from Type A?

[meanlittlechimp]

I remember this from the 80s. It's complete crap in my eyes. Two categories for that many different types of people?? We've evolved into 16 types. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if we continued to evolve somehow.

Yes it's oversimplified, but it did expand our lexicon. It's far easier to say Type "A", than saying something more drawn out, like... overly driven, aggressive machiavellian, asshole.

[INTJoe]

I remember this from the 80s. It's complete crap in my eyes. Two categories for that many different types of people?? We've evolved into 16 types. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if we continued to evolve somehow.

We haven't evolved at all. Just the terms we use to describe ourselves. Hopefully, as MBTI discussion becomes more commonplace (likely years down the road), the "Type A" personality moniker will fall by the wayside.

[Mafiaangel180]

We haven't evolved at all. Just the terms we use to describe ourselves. Hopefully, as MBTI discussion becomes more commonplace (likely years down the road), the "Type A" personality moniker will fall by the wayside.


Yeah, I meant the way we catagorize ourselves.

[Solaris]

ENTJ, ESTJ, and ESFJ seem most likely to be labeled as a "type A" person -- so I agree with others there. (so EJs and ETs) However, I think any J could be a type A, but introverts go a bit more unnoticed. Therefore, I think the "I" equivalents of the types I mentioned could just as easily be type As.

I disagree that ESFPs would be type As (the "salesperson") because they are not really that particular, even if they are rather aggressive at times.

[TheLastMohican]

I think "type A" would transcend all MBTI types. Most everyone is passionate about something. A am definitely more type A than B, though I am introverted. I am quite competitive and ambitious when it comes to fields that I care about/am interested in.
I dislike the common classification of A as a "bad" type and B as a "good" type. I frequently hear that being type A is bad for vague reasons such as being more prone to heart attacks and high blood pressure. But type B is just as bad, since at the extreme it is complete apathy. Apathy doesn't get anything done.
I would much rather die young of a heart attack than die old having done nothing productive. What matters is how much you do with your life, not how long it takes you to do it.
[/end rant]

Also, being type A does not necessarily mean being stressed out. I am pretty calm most of the time; I just care about succeeding, and will do what I can to reach my goals.

[sam988]

What about a very goal/effectiveness driven INTJ (as most of us are)? I would definitely not define him as a type B.


While we have no need to make big scenes and be the "agressive loud extravagant leader", we don't let things or people get in our way; and we're not lazy at all.


Most INTJs then would have the tendency to be a mix of the driven and achiever type A and the self-analyzing, introspective type B.

This type A - type B typology is too simple and can't possibly be used to label people with any considerable accuracy.

[INTJoe]

I don't think being type A is akin to being a strong J who gets things done. I think of the Type A's as the people who get stuff done, but they bully people into getting it done, or better yet, doing it for them.

INTJs get stuff done, too, but we don't run over people to do so. We are not "Type A". We are fairly more equitable in our demands and expectations.

[Solaris]

Well, I guess we need to agree on a definition of type A before we can debate it. It seems to me that we are all coming at this with our personal definitions, which don't exactly match up.

[Fej]

I remember this from the 80s. It's complete crap in my eyes. Two categories for that many different types of people??

Couldn't agree more.

[ElstonGunn]

I remember this from the 80s. It's complete crap in my eyes. Two categories for that many different types of people?? We've evolved into 16 types. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if we continued to evolve somehow.

On the other hand, it kind of works as a way to classify people into two basic groups: people who might be alright, and people to avoid at all costs. ;)

[ShaiGar]

I remember this from the 80s. It's complete crap in my eyes. Two categories for that many different types of people?? We've evolved into 16 types. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if we continued to evolve somehow.
for instance highly introverted ENTPs like me

[INTJoe]

There are also much more than 16 types. Add sex, and you get 32 types. Then there are tall INTJs and short ones. That is 64 types. Then Asians, Africans, etc....oh my God it never ends!

I'd posit that there are...well...over six billion types! :idea:

The 16 MBTI types, I think, are merely a way of describing people based on what isn't obvious (height, skin color, sex, age, number of times viewed Star Wars, etc.).

But, since I've been studying MBTI for several months now, many of the 16 characteristics have now become obvious to me. I'm much better at typing people much faster now.

[True Rune]

What about a very goal/effectiveness driven INTJ (as most of us are)? I would definitely not define him as a type B.


While we have no need to make big scenes and be the "agressive loud extravagant leader", we don't let things or people get in our way; and we're not lazy at all.


Most INTJs then would have the tendency to be a mix of the driven and achiever type A and the self-analyzing, introspective type B.

This type A - type B typology is too simple and can't possibly be used to label people with any considerable accuracy.

I agree. As an INTJ, I'm in between, though probably more leaning towards the "B" side on the outside.