Temperament Test

The theory of the four temperaments is one of the oldest personality typologies in existence. Hippocrates, the Greek physician of the fifth century BC, already proposed that human character was determined by the balance of four bodily humors: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. Galen, the Roman physician of the second century, refined and codified this theory by associating each dominant humor with a temperament: the Sanguine (blood, lively and sociable), the Choleric (yellow bile, ambitious and impulsive), the Melancholic (black bile, sensitive and analytical), and the Phlegmatic (phlegm, calm and diplomatic). This framework crossed two millennia and was updated by psychologist David Keirsey in his book "Please Understand Me" (1978).

Although modern medicine has abandoned the idea of humors, the four temperaments remain a remarkably durable tool for self-understanding. The Sanguine is enthusiastic, sociable, and optimistic, but can lack consistency. The Choleric is determined, action-oriented, and competitive, but can be domineering. The Melancholic is analytical, perfectionistic, and sensitive, but can get lost in doubt. The Phlegmatic is reliable, patient, and diplomatic, but may avoid conflict at the expense of their own needs.

This test invites you to revisit this timeless framework through 20 concrete questions. Knowing your dominant temperament helps you better understand your natural emotional responses, your strengths in a team, your relational blind spots, and the contexts where you thrive. A simple and effective compass for knowing yourself and navigating with others.