Type B refers to a behavior pattern characterized by a more easygoing, relaxed approach to life. Friedman and Rosenman contrasted it with the competitive, time-urgent Type A pattern.

Type B individuals are less likely to feel constant time pressure, less prone to hostility, and more able to enjoy leisure without guilt. They may still be ambitious and productive, yet they do not typically display the chronic impatience and anger that mark Type A. Early studies found lower rates of coronary heart disease among Type B participants, a finding later refined to emphasize the protective value of low hostility rather than the entire Type B profile.

The dichotomy is an idealization; most people fall somewhere along a continuum. Nonetheless, the Type B designation remains a convenient shorthand for a calmer, less reactive style of engaging with daily demands. Cultivating elements of that style—patience, reduced hostility, realistic time expectations—has become a goal of many stress-management programs.

A steadier pace and a lower propensity for anger define the Type B pattern.