By BrainFall Staff - Updated: April 9, 2024
Way back in Ancient Greece, physicians Hippocrates and Aelius Galenus came up with a medical theory. They thought that human moods and human behavior are caused by either a lack or excess of four bodily fluids. They said that too much black bile made you melancholic and too much yellow bile made you choleric. They also said that too much phlegm made you phlegmatic and too much blood made you sanguine. The physicians believed having a good balance of all four humors led to good health.
While modern medicine has dismissed these findings, the four temperaments theory had remained popular as a physiological theory. Now, it’s time to find which temperament fits you. Do you belong with the ambitious choleric, the social sanguine, the easygoing phlegmatic, or the analytical melancholic?
If you’re curious about which of the four temperaments suits you best, this is the quiz for you. Continue on to see which temperament fits you!
Four Temperaments
The four temperaments is a theory that suggests there are four fundamental personality types: sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, and melancholic. People with a sanguine temperament are social, talkative, and active. Those with the choleric temperament are extroverted, ambitious, and goal-oriented. Those with a phlegmatic temperament are easygoing, quiet, and sympathetic to others. People with a melancholic temperament are deep thinkers, analytical, and introverted. It's also possible to have both a primary and secondary temperament — for instance, your primary temperament might be sanguine, but you could be choleric as your secondary temperament.
The four classical temperaments are also associated with the four seasons and the four elements. Melancholic temperament is associated with earth and winter. Sanguine temperament relates to air and spring. Choleric temperament is associated with fire and summer. Phlegmatic temperament relates to autumn and water.
The Four Temperaments: Are You Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric, or Melancholic
Ever wonder why some folks are the life of the party, buzzing with energy like a sugar-rushed toddler at a birthday bash, while others are as chill as a cucumber in a hipster's gin and tonic? Or maybe you've noticed that some buddies can whip a plan into shape faster than you can say "spreadsheet," and some can brood deeper than a Shakespearean hero on a rainy day? If these observations tickle your curiosity bone, you'll be thrilled to know that the concept of the four temperaments has been slicing and dicing human personalities into neat little packages since Ancient Greek times.
According to the wise Hippocrates, the big daddy of medicine, our moods, emotions, and even those odd quirks are influenced by four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. We've come a long way since then, but these four temperaments – sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, and melancholic – are like the ancestral spirits of the personality tests we take for fun at parties or when we're procrastinating. These temperaments give us the 411 on why some of us are sunnier than a California day (hello, sanguines!), while others are as cool as an ice lolly on a sweltering day (looking at you, phlegmatics).
We at BrainFall are no ancient philosophers, but we love a good ol' personality quiz as much as you do! So, which one are you? Are you the sanguine, the heart and soul of the soiree; the phlegmatic, the zen master of 'let it go'; the choleric, the go-getter with a battle plan; or the melancholic, with depths deeper than a poet's journal? Join us on a whimsical romp through temperament town, and let's find out who's who in the zoo of personalities!
Deciphering the Four Humors
As we dive into the colorful world of the Four Temperaments, let's get ready to identify with one (or more!) of these personality profiles. These old-school labels aren't just fun at parties; they're a throwback to the days of humorism, where bodily fluids were the get-go for psychological insight. So, are you the social butterfly or the pensive poet? Let's find out!
Sanguine: The Life of the Party
Sanguine folks are like human sparklers. They are the extroverted, talkative, and carefree spirits who thrive on pleasure and attention. Picture someone who's perpetually ready for a round of karaoke, and you've got a sanguine character. There's never a dull moment, and you can spot their sanguine-phlegmatic pals joining the fun with a little more chill or sanguine-choleric buddies adding a dash of fiery ambition to the mix.
Phlegmatic: The Calm Connoisseur
Moving to the other end of the couch, we meet our phlegmatic friends—cool as cucumbers and patient to a fault. These introvert stars are calm, getting their kicks from routine and familiarity over flashy fiestas. With a heart of gold, they tend to be caring and thoughtful, with a side of reserved. If you're after someone who keeps it real and steers clear of drama, look no further.
Choleric: The Ambitious Achiever
Cholerics are the go-getters, with a natural knack for leadership and a dominant nature that can move mountains. Let's brew up some yellow bile, because these folks are ambitious and incredibly task-oriented. Not ones to patiently queue, they may come off as impatient, but you can't help admiring their relentless drive. Put simply, they're the powerhouses who get. things. done.
Melancholic: The Thoughtful Idealist
Finally, melancholic souls are the deep thinkers, wrapped in a cloak of conscientiousness. They're the ones with a careful, thoughtful, and often traditional bend, showing us that some things are innate—like their penchant for perfection. They can seem introverted, but that's just their brainpower at work, cooking up the next big idea or revolutionary poem. They're the daydreamers with a plan and the quiet, hidden motors of progress.
And there you have it, our humorous hop through the humorism hoop! Ready to unlock your own temperament? We're here to light the way to self-discovery with our BrainFall's Four Temperaments Test. Grab your quill—or, you know, a mouse—and let's get quizzical!
Temperaments in Modern Times
In our high-speed, hashtag-laden world, those ancient temperaments are still alive and kicking, shaping how we work, socialize, and grow. Let's unpack this, shall we?
Work & Leadership Styles
Choleric workers are the go-getters, no-nonsense leaders who make decisions faster than a microwave pizza. They've got the strengths for power moves and the passion to drive a team, but might have to watch not to steamroll over the more delicate office flora. Teamwork under a choleric boss? It's like being on a basketball team with a coach that's got the energy of a triple espresso.
Phlegmatic personalities, on the flip side, are the calm in the office storm. Management with phlegmatics feels like sailing on a steady sea; they've got the empathy and respect to make even a Monday feel like Friday. They aren’t ones to crank up the heat, but their introversion can be a cloak of invisibility when it’s time to rally the troops.
Interpersonal Relationships & Social Dynamics
When it comes to personal relationships, Sanguines are the life of any social shindig. With extroversion on their side, they're as sociable as golden retrievers at a park filled with squirrels. Then, you’ve got those Melancholics, deep thinkers and feelers who view emotions as an art form – moody, sure, but their creativity stirs up the social pot in profound ways.
Heading to a party? Bring a Sanguine for an instant hit. Need some real talk? A Melancholic will serve it up with a side of existential thought. Let's not forget how the Phlegmatics and Cholerics shape social dynamics with their calm energy and bold leadership.
Self-awareness & Personal Development
It's like Galen met modern medicine and they decided to go on a blind date. Guess what? It worked. We now use personality tests, from MBTI to our very own quiz, to help everyone from wannabe artists to budding entrepreneurs tap into self-awareness like it's their personal superpower.
Self-awareness isn't just navel-gazing; it fuels personal development like high-octane gasoline. Whether you're a neurotic Nellie seeking to harness your inner Zen, or an optimistic Ollie aiming to balance your energy with a touch of reality, knowing your temperament can turn you into your own life's CEO. Grab the reins and start steering with gusto – or thoughtful contemplation, if that's more your speed.
And there you have it! Ready to find out where you fit in this zany temperament jamboree? Skip on over to our quiz and join the party. Just remember, no matter the outcome, we're all a little bit of this and a dash of that. Now, let's get quizzical and discover your inner temperament superhero!
