What in the World Why are we obsessed with personality types and labels?
Dec 25, 2025
In this insightful discussion, psychologist and BBC presenter Claudia Hammond explores our fascination with personality labels. She unpacks the origins of Type A and B personalities and critiques the flawed Myers-Briggs system. Claudia reveals why young people are drawn to these labels for identity and certainty, while emphasizing the importance of knowing our traits for better understanding others. The dialogue also touches on global personality trends, including insights from colleagues in South Korea and Nigeria.
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Producer Calls Host "Type A"
- Hannah Gelbart recounts a producer calling her "so type A" while filming TikToks, which prompted her to look the label up.
- She then obsessed over strengths and flaws of being Type A, illustrating how labels stick quickly.
Type A/B Began As Heart Disease Research
- Claudia Hammond explains Type A/B originated in 1950s cardiology to measure heart attack risk but was controversial and industry-funded.
- She warns the categories are old, inconsistent, and ignore situational variability in behaviour.
Introversion/Extraversion Is A Continuum
- Claudia Hammond traces introversion/extroversion to Hans Eysenck, who used large samples and factor analysis to find continua, not fixed boxes.
- She stresses people vary by situation and ambiverts bridge both tendencies.