5. Personality

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test

A questionnaire that sorts people into 16 distinct personality types based on four psychological preferences

• extraversion vs introversion

• sensing vs. intuition

• thinking vs. feeling

• judging vs. perceiving

Hippocrates

460-375 BCE

• investigate personality

• created his theory of humours

Hippocrates’ theory of humors

Human health is guided by the balance of Boyd fluids (4 humors)

• Yellow bile

• Black bile

• Blood

• Phlegm

Disease is an imbalance of humors

What personality type corresponds with yellow bile

melancholic

What personality type corresponds with black bile

angry

What personality type corresponds with blood

happy

What personality type corresponds with phlegm

neurotic

Big Five personality traits

Describes human personality across five broad dimensions

• Openness — open to new experience, imaginative, daring

• Conscientiousness — hard-working, dedicated, organized

• Extraversion — assertive, sociable

• Agreeableness — affectionate, caring, kind

• Neuroticism — tension, insecurity, anxiety

Does personality change over a lifetime?

Personality largely remains stable throughout the lifespan, however, some changes are a normal part of development