The 4 Personality Types: Equivalents & Comparisons

Discussing personality types with friends can get confusing when there are so many different classifications! If you’re not sure which type you’re talking about, hopefully this comparison chart will help you figure out what type equals what in another classification. (Click here for a comparison chart of the 16 personality types.) While not exhaustive, we have attempted to make it complete, focusing on types in history and literature.

Table of Equivalents for the 4 Temperaments & Learning Styles

Date Author Classification D I S C
2 AD Galen Human Temperaments Choleric Sanguine Phlegmatic Melancholy
1958 Dr. John Geier DISC Directive Interactive Supportive Corrective
1928 William Moulton Martson DiSC Dominance Influence Steadiness Conscientiousness
Gary Smalley Animals Lion Otter Golden Retriever Beaver
1994 Forrest H. Patton DESA©Behavior Index Dominant Expressive Solid Analytical
1994 Eileen M. Russo Ph.D. "What's My Style?" (WMS) Direct Spirited Considerate Systematic
1986 Florence Littauer Personality Plus Powerful Choleric Popular Sanguine Peaceful Phlegmatic Perfect Melancholy
2009 Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott L.O.V.E. Styles L – Leader: The Take-Charge Spouse O – Optimist: The Encouraging Spouse V – Validator: The Devoted Spouse E – Evaluator: The Careful Spouse
Don Lowry & Mary Miscisin True Colors Gold Orange Blue Green
The Color Code Red Yellow White Blue
A.A. Milne 100 Acre Wood Rabbit Tigger Pooh Eeyore
Charles M. Schulz Peanuts Lucy Snoopy Charlie Brown Linus
Comics Jason Snoopy Cathy Ziggy
Jane Austen Austen Literature Emma Woodhouse Lydia Bennet Elizabeth Bennet Marianne Dashwood
Biblical Characters Paul Peter Abraham Moses
Louisa May Alcott Little Women Jo Amy Beth Meg
Bernice McCarthy 4MAT System Common Sense Dynamic Innovative Analytic
Merrill-Reid/Wilson Social Styles Driver Expressive Amiable Analytic
1967 Dr. David Keirsey Keirsey Temperament Sorter Idealist Artisan Guardian Rational
400 BC Hippocrates Humors Blood Yellow Bile Black Bile Phlegm
322 BC Aristotle Propraietare Hedone Ethikos Dikalogike
340 BC Plato Guardian Artisan Philosopher Scientist
1920 Kretschner Melancholic Hypomanic Anesthetic Hyperasthetic
1930 Sprangler Religious Aesthetic Theoretic Economic
1947 Erich Fromm Fromm's Tables Hoarding Exploiting Receptive Marketing
1978 Dr. Susan Dellinger Psycho-Geometrics Triangle Squiggle Circle Square/Rectangle
Jackie Richard Herbo-Psychiatrists Garlic Pepper Parsley Ginger
Type A or B Type B Motivated Type B Messy Type A Casual Type A Compulsive
The S's Self-propelled Spirited Solid Systematic
The A's Administrative Active Amiable Analytical
Dr.Walter A. Lacey L-E-A-D Leader Expressor Dependable Analyst
1995 Jonathan Knaupp ARRAY Production Connection Status Quo Harmony
PSI Controller Promoter Supporter Analyst
Alessandra & Cathcart Director Socializer Relater Thinker
1990 Keith Golay Student/Teacher Learning Styles Bear Monkey Dolphin Owl
Learning Styles Pragmatists Activists Reflectors Theorists
2012 Cathy Duffy Learning Styles Competent Carl Sociable Sue Wiggly Willy Perfect Paula
1981 Dr. Anthony F. Gregorc Mind Styles™ Model Concrete Random Abstract Random Abstract Sequential Concrete Sequential
Larry Crabb Volitional Emotional Personal Rational
Spencer Johnson M.D. Who Moved My Cheese? Sniff Scurry Haw Hem
2009 Helen Fisher Why Him? Why Her? Directors Explorers Builders Negotiators
Kimberly West Tango Temperaments Salsa Swing Waltz Tango
Personality-Ville DomiNation Fundiddl*I*opolis Steadyshire Cautious Canyon
 Sources (in addition to links above):
  • Wired That Way by Dr. Marita Littauer
  • Why Him? Why Her? by Helen Fisher
  • Your Personality Tree by Florence Littauer
  • Wikipedia

(We have attempted to verify all the comparisons on this chart. Please let us know if you find an error or have an addition!)