Personality Testing Theories In Psychology
Hippocrates & William H Sheldon Personality Tests
In this article we shall look at two classical theories of personality testing.
Hippocrates Type-Trait Personality Test
One of the earliest type-trait personality tests was the one proposed by Hippocrates, an ancient Greek doctor, who is regarded by most as the “father” of medicine.
According to Hippocrates type-trait personality test, there are four personality types:
• Sanguine (Optimism)
• Choleric (Irritability)
• Melancholic (Depression)
• Phlegmatic (Sluggishness)
Hippocrates believed that a person’s personality is influenced by the balance of fluids (humours) in the body.
Optimism
A person with a sanguine personality (optimism), would have a lot of the humour blood.
Irritability
A person with a choleric personality (irritability), would have a lot of the humour yellow bile.
Depression
A person with a melancholic personality (depression), would have a lot of the humour black bile.
Sluggishness
And a person with a phlegmatic personality (sluggishness), would have a lot of the humour phlegm.
Relevancy Of Hippocrates Personality Test
Although Hippocrates humour theory of personality testing is not something we use today, it does show just how far back people have attempted to explain the different personalities of the people they see around them.
However whilst Hippocrates may have been incorrect about fluids influencing our personality, there is some degree of validity to this personality test.
As we now know today that hormones circulating in the blood can drastically affect the type of personality someone displays.
Testosterone is an obvious example of this, and can cause people to become aggressive or submissive depending on its relative levels within the body.
William H. Sheldon’s Type-Trait Personality Test
Another classical theory of testing personality, although this time a much more recent one, was the theory of personality proposed the physiologist William H. Sheldon around 65 years ago.
Basically Sheldon said that our personality is related to our body type, which is largely predetermined during embryonic development.
As a result, he said that there were three basic body types each with distinct personalities.
Endomorph Body Type
An endomorph has a soft and flabby body, and their personality is likely to be one of laziness and pleasure seeking.
Mesomorph Body Type
A mesomorph has a firm and muscular body, and their personality is likely to be assertive and ambitious.
Ectomorph Body Type
An ectomorph has a thin and frail body, and their personality is likely to be shy and nervous.
Somatotypes
Sheldon did not think people were purely one type or another, and as a result rated people based on each of these three body types and then gave them a somatotype.
A somatotype is simply an individuals dominant body type (what they are most like).
Relevancy Of Sheldon’s Personality Test
Today Sheldon’s theory of testing personality is not something we use anymore, however like Hippocrates theory, there may be some element of truth to it, but only if we generalise body types and personalities.
For example, we could generalise by saying that fat people are lazy, because they spend most of the day sitting or lying down.
They also like to seek pleasure, because they are unable to control how much food they put into their mouth.
Muscular people could be generalised by saying that they are assertive and ambitious, because their bodily appearance gives them the confidence to act this way.
Thin and frail people could be generalised by saying that they are shy and nervous, because they feel physically vulnerable and weak.
Although these are generalisations, it is fair to say that a person’s body type does play a role in determining the type of personality they are likely to display. The reasons for this are two fold:
Mental
If you are muscular you are likely to feel a lot more confident with yourself than a fat person would about their body. This can then influence your overall personality.
In addition to this, how you think other people perceive your body to be (i.e. attractive or unattractive) can also affect how you feel about yourself, and therefore your personality.
Biological
If you have a muscular body type you are likely to eat healthy foods and exercise, both of which can produce distinct hormonal patterns in the body which will affect how you feel about yourself.
Whereas a fat person may feel lazy because they do not exercise and eat junk food, and as a result have a very different hormonal pattern. One that is likely to lead to fluctuating moods, lack of energy and depression.
You Can’t Generalise Everyone
All of the examples given above are generalisations, which is why Sheldon’s theory is not used today, despite there being evidence to support his views.
Not all fat people for example are lazy, just as not all muscular people are confident. So as with any theory, it is best to take what works and use it to develop other theories which explain what it could not.
Summary
• Hippocrates said there were four types of personalities, sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic.
• Hippocrates believed personality was related to the balance of humours in the body.
• Sheldon believed personality was related to our body type, and is largely predetermined during embryonic development.
• The three personality types proposed by Sheldon are: endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph.
• Sheldon’s personality theory holds some validity, but relies upon generalisations of personality and body types.
