Before the MBTI, Before DISC: Hippocrates
Long before online personality tests, long before modern psychology, a Greek physician in the 5th century BCE was already observing that people don't react the same way to the same situations. Hippocrates, considered the father of Western medicine, laid the foundations of what is probably the oldest personality classification system in the world.
His theory of the four temperaments has survived twenty-four centuries. Revisited by Galen in the 2nd century, enriched by medieval Arab and European philosophy, and reexamined by contemporary psychologists like Hans Eysenck and David Keirsey, it remains remarkably relevant.
Why? Because behind the theory of humors, now outdated from a medical standpoint, lies a behavioral observation of remarkable accuracy.
The Theory of Humors: Origins of the Model
For Hippocrates, health and temperament were linked to the balance of four bodily "humors":
- Blood -- associated with the Sanguine temperament
- Yellow bile -- associated with the Choleric temperament
- Black bile -- associated with the Melancholic temperament
- Phlegm -- associated with the Phlegmatic temperament
The dominant humor in the body determined a person's temperament. Galen, a Roman physician of the 2nd century, formalized these observations into detailed descriptions, creating a system that dominated medicine and psychology for over a thousand years.
Obviously, biology is infinitely more complex than this theory of fluids. But what's striking is that the four behavioral profiles described by Hippocrates correspond to patterns that modern psychology continues to observe and validate.
The 4 Temperaments in Detail
| Temperament | Element | Season | Dominant Traits | At Work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanguine | Air | Spring | Enthusiasm, optimism, sociability, spontaneity | Communication, sales, facilitation, creative work |
| Choleric | Fire | Summer | Determination, leadership, energy, independence | Management, crisis handling, entrepreneurship |
| Melancholic | Earth | Autumn | Depth, perfectionism, sensitivity, loyalty | Analysis, research, design, quality control |
| Phlegmatic | Water | Winter | Calm, diplomacy, reliability, observation | Coordination, mediation, people management |
The Sanguine
Element: Air. Season: Spring. Quality: Hot and moist.
The Sanguine is the joyful extrovert of the group. Optimistic, sociable, spontaneous, they light up every room they enter. They're the born storyteller, the life of the party, the person who makes friends in five minutes while standing in line.
Dominant traits:
- Infectious enthusiasm and boundless energy
- Natural optimism, even in the face of difficulty
- Constant need for human contact and stimulation
- Creativity, spontaneity, and ability to improvise
- Resilience: they bounce back quickly after setbacks
Shadow side:
- Difficulty concentrating on a single task for long periods
- Tendency toward unfulfilled promises and exaggeration
- Superficiality in relationships when they multiply too quickly
- Impulsiveness in important decisions
- Uncomfortable with solitude and silence
At work: The Sanguine excels in communication, sales, facilitation, and creative roles. They need variety, human interaction, and recognition. A lively open office suits them better than a closed, quiet room.
In relationships: An enthusiastic and demonstrative partner, generous in their emotional expressions. Their challenge is to go deeper rather than flit around, to stay when the novelty fades.
The Sanguine in one word: the tireless optimist who turns every encounter into an adventure. Their greatest strength is lifting the spirits of an entire group; their greatest challenge is staying the course.
The Choleric
Element: Fire. Season: Summer. Quality: Hot and dry.
The Choleric is the born leader. Ambitious, determined, pragmatic, they see a goal and charge ahead. Obstacles are just details to handle. They're the one who naturally takes charge when no one knows what to do, turning chaos into an action plan.
Dominant traits:
- Determination and results orientation
- Natural leadership and quick decision-making ability
- Constant energy and pressure resistance
- Independence and self-confidence
- Practical sense and efficiency
Shadow side:
- Impatience with those who can't keep up
- Tendency toward domination and excessive control
- Difficulty expressing vulnerability and asking for help
- Quick anger when things don't move fast enough
- Risk of burning relationships in pursuit of results
At work: The Choleric shines in leadership positions, crisis management, entrepreneurship, and project management. They need challenges, autonomy, and measurable results. Routine and bureaucracy stifle them.
In relationships: Protective and reliable, they show love through actions rather than words. Their challenge is learning to slow down, to listen without trying to fix, and to accept that not everything can be controlled.
The Melancholic
Element: Earth. Season: Autumn. Quality: Cold and dry.
The Melancholic is the deep thinker. Reflective, sensitive, perfectionistic, they notice details no one else sees and aspire to an ideal the real world can't always match. They're the artist, the philosopher, the analyst, whose inner richness often compensates for an apparent reserve.
Dominant traits:
- Emotional and intellectual depth
- Attention to detail and perfectionism
- Creativity fueled by acute sensitivity
- Deep loyalty to loved ones
- Capacity for introspection and analysis
Shadow side:
- Tendency toward rumination and pessimism
- Difficulty letting go of imperfections
- Hypersensitivity to criticism, even constructive
- Risk of paralysis through perfectionism
- Withdrawal when the world seems too disappointing
At work: The Melancholic excels in analytical, creative, or quality control roles. Research, writing, design, auditing, music: anything requiring depth and attention to detail. They need quiet, time, and meaning in what they do.
In relationships: A deeply loyal and attentive partner, they offer a rare quality of presence. Their challenge is not letting idealized expectations sabotage a real and necessarily imperfect relationship.
The Melancholic in one word: the deep thinker whose sensitivity is both their greatest asset and their greatest challenge. When they learn to release perfectionism, they produce work of exceptional quality.
The Phlegmatic
Element: Water. Season: Winter. Quality: Cold and moist.
The Phlegmatic is the calm pillar. Patient, diplomatic, balanced, they weather storms without losing their composure. They're the natural mediator, the person everyone turns to during conflict, whose serenity reassures even in moments of panic.
Dominant traits:
- Unshakeable calm, even under intense pressure
- Diplomacy and natural mediation ability
- Reliability and consistency over time
- Keen, non-judgmental observation
- Subtle humor and sense of nuance
Shadow side:
- Passivity and difficulty taking initiative
- Tendency to avoid conflict at all costs, even when necessary
- Procrastination behind an appearance of serenity
- Risk of fading into the background around stronger personalities
- Resistance to change and risk
At work: The Phlegmatic excels in coordination, mediation, and people management roles. Human resources, technical support, diplomacy, long-term project management: anywhere calm and patience are decisive assets.
In relationships: A stable and reassuring partner, they provide a precious anchor. Their challenge is expressing their needs and frustrations rather than silently accepting everything until exhaustion.
Combinations: Nobody Is a Pure Type
Pure types are rare. Most people have a dominant temperament and a secondary one that adds nuance to their profile. The most common combinations reveal rich personalities:
| Combination | Profile |
|---|---|
| Sanguine-Choleric | The charismatic entrepreneur, sociable and determined |
| Melancholic-Phlegmatic | The calm thinker, deep and balanced |
| Choleric-Melancholic | The perfectionist leader, demanding and strategic |
| Sanguine-Phlegmatic | The warm diplomat, approachable and steady |
The Temperaments and Modern Models
Key takeaway: Eysenck's model (extraversion/introversion and stability/instability) maps almost perfectly onto Hippocrates' four temperaments. The Sanguine corresponds to the stable extrovert, the Choleric to the unstable extrovert, the Melancholic to the unstable introvert, the Phlegmatic to the stable introvert. This convergence between a 2,400-year-old model and contemporary psychology suggests Hippocrates perceived something fundamental.
David Keirsey, in Please Understand Me, also drew parallels between Hippocrates' temperaments and MBTI types. The DISC model, widely used in business, also shows clear echoes: D (Dominance) recalls the Choleric, I (Influence) the Sanguine, S (Steadiness) the Phlegmatic, C (Conscientiousness) the Melancholic.
What Use Is It Today?
Knowing your temperament doesn't put you in a box. It gives you a starting point for understanding your natural reactions, your deep needs, and your friction zones with others. A Choleric who understands they're inadvertently steamrolling a Phlegmatic can adjust their approach. A Melancholic who recognizes their perfectionist tendencies can learn to ease the pressure.
It's also a powerful relationship tool. Understanding that your partner is Phlegmatic rather than "passive," that your colleague is Sanguine rather than "superficial," changes the way you interact with them.
What's Your Temperament?
Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic, or Phlegmatic? Take our temperaments test to identify your unique combination and discover how to make the most of your deeper nature.