16 Types or 4 Temperaments?

I’m an INFJ. I first found that out freshman year, and took a few other personality tests to confirm it (many INFJs are actually mistyped! Take the IDRLabs personality test to confirm or find your actual type).

Ever since, I’ve been frolicking in the wonderfully unique Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) community.

The MBTI community is one of the most intellectual and supportive groups of people on the internet that I have ever had the pleasure of following. And, God, the memes they crank out ooze this kind of higher-level, cunning comedy that makes you feel really smart if you get it (see @mbti.rationals).

But that’s the thing. Getting that humor—learning the types—is quite the process.

16 types is a lot to absorb—there’s no denying it. And while MBTI helps us understand other people, getting to that point requires that we either talk to them enough to know their behavior/thinking to guess their type or they straight-up tell us their type.

When I got my first taste of this community, I wanted to see if there was a way for me to understand people before I’d met them.

MBTI couldn’t do that. The 16 personality types are based on how people make decisions and perceive the world around them—how could I understand someone’s perception of the world and decision-making tendencies without talking to him/her?

That’s when I learned about the 4 Temperaments. Oh, yeah, only 4 things to learn. Jackpot.

Here’s the IDRLabs Temperament Test I trust and the OSPP Four Temperaments Test for confirmation (optional)!

Take one or both tests before meeting the temperaments:

1. Sanguine
Sanguines are your really energetic, optimistic, risk-taking people who seem to always seek fun and adventure. They’re people-oriented, love collaboration, and can adapt to many different environments because they honestly just can’t handle the boredom.

If you meet a Sanguine, you’ll probably find them being super open with their thoughts and feelings, making them seem really approachable and accepting.

2. Phlegmatic
Phlegs are your mediators; they tend to avoid conflict and seek peace, making them very service-oriented (like the acts of service love language!). They like to stick to a plan or routine, living a life (relatively) free of the worries that the other temperaments commonly deal with.

If you meet a Phleg, they’ll come off as really low-key, chill, and laid-back. They’re go-with-the-flow people.

3. Melancholic
Mels are your cautious, reserved, non risk-taking people who feel most comfortable at home with friends and family. They have opposing tendencies to Sanguines, making them detail-oriented. Many Mels fear making mistakes and worry about how others perceive them, which is why they stick to rules and seek what the right thing to do is in every situation.

If you meet a Mel, they’ll come off as more timid, intense, and (possibly) insecure in a quiet way. They’re hard workers, producing thorough, quality work, and many often seek reassurance (like the words of affirmation love language!) for that work.

4. Choleric
And lastly, we have your Cholerics. They’re goal-oriented, extroverted people who are extremely practical and tend to avoid any kind of small talk. Deep, intellectual conversations is how you’ll strike a friendship with a Choleric, and you’ll find that they’re head-strong, confident, decisive, and easily irritated.

This doesn’t mean they’re angry all the time, though; their assertive nature often comes off as aggressive and can be perceived as annoyance.

Based on the IDRLabs test, I’m a Mel:

What I love about this test is that it shows you where YOU are on the spectrum. From my results, you can see that, while I’m in the Melancholic quarter, I’m closer to Choleric than I am to Phlegmatic.

This is important when you learn the 15 Blended Temperaments (but, Abby, you said only 4!). It’s almost 16, but they’re SO much easier to identify. Essentially, you have your primary temperament (mine is Melancholic), and then you have your secondary temperament (mine is Choleric). The secondary temperament ALWAYS affects how the primary manifests in behavior.
For example, because I’m Mel-Choleric, I’m focused on doing what’s right while being headstrong in reaching my goals. The Choleric in me—that independence—really takes the Mel in me—that affirmation-seeking tendency and focus on detail—and blows it up to huge proportions, cooking up something that plagues me every day… perfectionism.

*Keep in mind that your temperaments can change as you go about life, and that they tell you a lot about strengths and weaknesses!

What sets the 4 Temperaments apart from MBTI is that you can pretty accurately guess somebody’s primary temperament and even their secondary temperament just based on observation.

I have to admit it… I use the 4 Temperaments every time I meet somebody new. It helps me gain a quick understanding of someone without even having to really meet them or know them well. (If I’ve met you, I’ve probably already made a guess for yours :D).

So what’s up with the 16 types and 4 Temperaments? Many people in the online community use just the 16, but I believe using both maximizes our ability to empathize with everyone we meet. There isn’t really a Temperaments community (very sad), but becoming familiar with both assessments has impacted my approach to forming relationships throughout high school.

Getting involved in the MBTI community was a choice I’ll never regret (definitely worth the time). Similarly, learning the 4 Temperaments taught me how to form a foundation for people’s personalities before getting to know them well. BOTH, combined, have helped me grow my understanding of others and even myself. I’ve come to accept that a lot of my behaviors I thought were weird or different were actually just parts of my personality manifesting.

I really encourage you to try guessing people’s temperaments. It’s actually super fun if you discuss it with other people, and it can help you paint a clearer picture of them and their behaviors!

Get involved with the temperaments and MBTI at some point, I guarantee you’ll benefit from both!