When we think of personality types, two popular (although not clinical) models come to mind: Type A and Type B. Type A is generally perceived as the overachiever who’s ambitious and competitive and has a strong sense of achievement and success. Type B, on the other hand, is imagined as the relaxed, easygoing, flexible counterpart who lets life unfold at its own pace. But tucked quietly between them is a third pattern almost no one talks about, yet one that many people may identify with. This conflict-avoiding, hyper-thoughtful, emotionally restrained type blends into the background while carrying an entire storm beneath the surface. Unlike the intensity of Type A or the calm of Type B, the traits of this type operate in subtler tones, influencing everything from relationships to stress to long-term well-being. And despite its quiet nature, it may be the most misunderstood and most important personality type to understand today. We call this the Type C personality.

A Type C personality is someone who is calm, pays attention to details, tends to be a “people-pleaser,” may struggle with setting limits and boundaries, and has difficulties with confrontation. Rymarczyk et al. (2020) propose that Type C has two main parts: submissiveness and restricted affectivity. Submissiveness, the interpersonal part, is how these people behave with others. They tend to avoid conflict, be overly accommodating, say “yes” when they don’t want to, or have difficulties asserting themselves. Restricted........

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