The Wiggins Interpersonal Behavior Circle and the Type A behavior pattern

Research suggests that Type As exhibit greater levels of interpersonal aggression, dominance, and competitiveness than Type Bs. The present research uses the Wiggins Interpersonal Behavior Circle with college undergraduates to demonstrate that not only are extreme Type As (N = 46) more dominant than extreme Type Bs (N = 96), but that variability among Type As (not all of whom succumb to coronary artery and heart disease) also lies along the nurturance dimension. Subjects were also examined in the two-dimensional, four-quadrant space created by orthogonally crossing the dominance and nurturance scales at their means. Whereas male Type As were equally distributed in the Dominant/Hostile and Dominant/Friendly quadrants, female Type As were almost entirely distributed in the latter quadrant. The utility of subtyping As and Bs is discussed in this context.