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Before you start
- 24 either/or questions
- About 4 minutes
- Your blend of two
- No sign-up
For each pair, pick the one that sounds more like you. If both fit equally, tap "Both equally".
Every few questions you get a short checkpoint with your result so far. The full result is free at the end, with no sign-up or email.
The four temperaments
The four temperaments are the oldest personality model we have. The Greek physician Hippocrates and later the Roman doctor Galen linked them to four bodily "humours". The biology is long disproven, but the descriptions have lasted 2,000 years:
- Sanguine: sociable, lively and optimistic.
- Choleric: driven, decisive and strong-willed.
- Melancholic: thoughtful, detailed and sensitive.
- Phlegmatic: calm, patient and easygoing.
The modern view
In 1947 psychologist Hans Eysenck showed the four temperaments line up with two modern traits: extraversion (outgoing vs reserved) and emotional stability (steady vs intense). Sanguine is outgoing and steady, choleric outgoing and intense, melancholic reserved and intense, and phlegmatic reserved and steady.
For the full modern version, take the Big Five personality test.
Questions people ask
What is the rarest temperament?
There is no reliable data on how common each temperament is, and most people are a blend of two rather than one pure type.
Can you have two temperaments?
Yes, most people are a blend: a primary temperament plus a strong secondary one, such as sanguine-choleric.
Which temperaments get along best?
Opposite pairs often balance each other, for example a choleric leader and a phlegmatic mediator, but any pair can work with understanding.
For fun and self-reflection. NineTraits tests are for entertainment and personal insight. They are not a clinical, psychological, medical or professional assessment, and they should not be used to make decisions about health, hiring, relationships or education. If you are struggling, please talk to a qualified professional. Full disclaimer