The Difference Between Type A & Type B Personalities, According To Experts

You've probably heard someone describe themselves as "type A," but what does that really mean? And how does this personality type differ from type Bs? Here's a breakdown of both, what makes them different, and what the research says.

According to licensed therapist De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, MSW, LCSW-S, CST, the main thing to understand with type A people is that they have a "take charge" spirit, which lends itself to that competitiveness, strong work ethic, and yes, impatience. "They do often have a self-starter within them, where they're able to run businesses effectively—or if they work within companies, they're able to work independently and work very efficiently," she explains.

Neo adds that when it comes to type A's, they need to "reward themselves along the way, rather than wait for a big goal to be fulfilled many years later, and still move the goal posts."

Type B people tend to take things as they come and don't worry too much about planning things out or having a regimented structure to their lives. Flexible and friendly, "They can be seen as pretty charismatic, very outgoing, and energetic," Blaylock-Solar notes.

"The challenges and areas for growth could be the procrastination—and also making sure that they're prioritizing their own needs, as opposed to only working for fulfilling the needs of others," Blaylock-Solar says, adding, "If they are constantly putting the needs of others in front of their own, then their needs may not be met, so they definitely have to find a balance with that."

Type A people tend to take themselves and the goings-on of their life very seriously. They could be described as high-strung and high stress, while type B people tend to have a much more lackadaisical approach to things. Type B's do not sweat the small stuff (or the big stuff), which can make them less stressed but also less motivated than type A's, but the type A's sense of urgency is what helps them get things done.

Type B's are going to be the ones who just want everyone to have a good time. Meanwhile, type A's are focused on winning the top prize. For type A's, competition motivates them and pushes them to do their best—they want to come out on top. For type B's, they're just happy to be along for the ride and don't mind if there isn't a reward at the end.

Type A's tend to be more independent and focused on individual success and achievement than type B's, who place more importance on fostering their relationships and accommodating the needs of others. As such, they approach relationships differently, with type A's showing more controlling and/or independent tendencies in relationships, and type B's sacrificing their own needs for others.

As you might imagine, the pace alone of these two personalities' lives are very different. Type A's move fast—they want results and they want them yesterday. Type B's, meanwhile, are prone to procrastination and generally go with the flow, which means they might be the ones showing up late to their appointments or missing deadlines. Again, this relates to that sense of urgency, which type A's have plenty of and type B's tend to lack.

Lastly, type A people typically prefer structure to their lives, implementing different processes and routines to help them achieve all their goals. They thrive on that structure, while type B's tend to feel boxed in by it. For a type B, they'd much prefer to let the day unfold on its own, while that lack of a schedule would make type A people feel disorganized or chaotic.

The good news is, that research suggests both types A and B can achieve success in school, with the study authors concluding that "deficiencies in personalities may be taken into consideration by teachers, administrators, educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers for improvement in academic achievement."

"It's not about what's good or what's bad but rather how can we make use of the way we are wired to serve us in different situations, with different people," Neo says, "and generally to find a sense of peace, mental wellness, and mental fitness."