Aptitude Tests Blog

It is possible to rate a person's temperament across four quadrants, namely sanguine (sparky), choleric (rocky), melancholic (arty) and phlegmatic (cool). How can you make sense of that information?

In conflict resolution those 4 genres would be called synergistic, win/lose, yield/lose and lose/leave.

In performance appraisal there would be dominant/warm, dominant/hostile, submissive/hostile and submissive/warm.

In work interaction they would be collaborative, competing, accommodating and avoiding.

In decision making there would be integration, power, suppression and denial.

In style they would be expressive, driver, analytical and amicable.

In emotions they would be inducement of others, dominance, compliance and steadiness.

In orientation they would be adapting/dealing, controlling/taking, supporting/giving and conserving/holding.

Sanguines would be people-oriented salespeople, experts in public relations displaying lots of charisma.

Cholerics are strong goal oriented natural leaders who thrive on managing people.

Melancholics are creative, analytical folks striving for perfection with aesthetic traits.

Phlegmatics are cool, detailed, patient individuals who tend to limit themselves. They can perform statistical, microscopic work that would drive others crazy.

Needless to say that in any situation you need a mix of those temperament types so that when people come together they are complete - not lacking anything.

You could also rate those four types along the lines of stable/unstable and introvert/extrovert. In this case the sanguine becomes sociable, outgoing, talkative, responsive, easy going, lively and carefree. The choleric becomes touchy, restless, aggressive, excitable, changeable, impulsive and optimistic. The melancholic becomes moody, anxious, rigid, sober, pessimistic, reserved, unsociable and quiet. Finally the phlegmatic stands for passive, careful, thoughtful, peaceful, controlled, reliable, even-tempered and calm.

If you now rate the four types in terms of strengths/weaknesses we have the sanguine weaknesses as exaggerating, egocentric, unproductive, emotionally unstable and undisciplined. But the sanguine strengths are outgoing, enthusiastic, compassionate, talkative, warm and friendly, responsive.

The choleric weaknesses are cold/unemotional, self-sufficient, impetuous, domineering, unforgiving, sarcastic, angry and cruel. The choleric strengths are strong-willed, independent, visionary, practical, productive, decisive, born-leader.

The melancholic weaknesses are theoretical, touchy, revengeful, persecution-prone, self-centred, moody, unsociable, negative and critical. The melancholic strengths are aesthetic, analytical, gifted, self-disciplined, industrious, self-sacrificing.

The phlegmatic weaknesses are unemotional, procrastinator, selfish, stingy, self-protective, indecisive, fearful, worrier. The phlegmatic strengths are calm/quiet, easy-going, dependable, objective, diplomatic, efficient/organised, practical and humorous.

I am sure by now you have desperately tried to see which category you fit in. There is a test you can take online to find out your temperament but unlike aptitude tests there are no right or wrong answers. Furthermore selecting people on the basis of a personality type is tantamount to prejudice just like selecting on the basis of sex, age or race.