Type A/B Personality

Personality Type and Academic Achievement Personality can have significant effects on an individual 's ability to perform in academic settings. There are several reasons for this including the influence of personality traits on aspects of academic performance such as: time and stress management, goal setting, creativity, critical thinking skills, motivation (internal vs. external) and locus of control. There are two theories that have been used to explain the effects of personality traits on academic performance, Type A/B Personality Theory, and the Big Five or Five Factor Personality Theory. Both theories essentially argue that certain personality traits such as curiosity, creativity, or introversion/extraversion make a person more or less

Locus of control is the idea that individuals feel that their environment can or cannot be controlled by their choices. Fretwell, Lewis, and Hannay (2013) state that the MBTI, Type A/B personality and locus of control theories have primarily been applied in the business field these variables also influence academic achievement and other types of achievement as well. In a study of 276 participants, they found that Type A or students who scored as extraverted, sensing, thinking, and judging on the MBTI were more likely to have an inner locus of control. In other words, they perceived that their academic achievement was something that was in their control. This resulted in higher cumulative G.P.A 's, higher levels of competitiveness, and stronger coping and study skills. The implications of this can be devastating since Type A personalities shoulder the blame for their failures and this can lead to complications of low self-esteem. These students may become so frustrated that they will aggressively display their guilt through negative behaviors and actions such as drinking, drugs and reckless, impulsive behavior. Students may internalize their feelings of failure to the point of becoming depressed due to inner rage. Knowing that these personality traits may cause these reactions ahead of time can help both the student and faculty prepare to find methods of coping or ways of reaching out for help. Finally, the researchers found that introverted students with Type B personalities were more likely to demonstrate an external locus of control. These participants were more likely to blame low G.P.A 's on things outside of their control such as family problems, illness, or a professor who did not like them rather than thinking that their grades and academic