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What is blood type personality? -

Blood type personality is a Japanese concept called ketsueki-gata, which states that a person's blood group system is predictive of a person's personality, temperament, and compatibility with others.

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Ketsueki-gata -

Ketsueki-gata was first introduced in the late 1920s by Japanese professor Tokeji Furukawa, who wrote a thesis titled 'The Study of Temperament Through Blood Type.'

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A unique effect on personality -

In his study, Furukawa argued that blood types A, B, O, and AB each have a unique effect on personality.

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Science remains skeptical -

However, blood type personality theory is a pseudoscientific belief. Furukawa's research was criticized by the scientific community for providing no empirical evidence. Nevertheless, ketsueki-gata has endured and is firmly rooted in the cultural imagination of Japan.

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Ketsueki-gata and personality traits -

It's certainly compelling to consider that your blood type reveals something about you, and ketsueki-gata believers maintain that each of the four blood types correspond with distinct personality traits. But before venturing further into ketsueki-gata, what exactly do we mean by blood type?

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Understanding the ABO blood group system -

The ABO blood group system was discovered in 1901. What we call your blood type is simply a way of describing the antigens on the surface of your red blood cells. And according to the ABO blood group system, there are four main blood types.

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Blood type A -

Blood type A has the A antigen.

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Blood type B -

Blood type B has the B antigen.

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Blood type AB -

Blood type AB has both A and B antigens. AB negative, by the way, is the rarest blood type in the world.

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Blood type O -

Blood type O has no antigens. O positive is the most common blood type.

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What is your blood type saying? -

So, what does your blood type say about you, based on ketsueki-gata?

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Blood group A personality traits -

Those with a blood type A personality are said to be creative and cooperative. But they can also be stubborn and uptight.

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Blood group B personality traits -

People possessed of a blood type B personality are generally empathetic and passionate, but can also display selfish and erratic behavior.

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Blood group AB personality traits -

A blood type AB personality is rational and adaptable, but can also be indecisive and critical.

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Blood group O personality traits -

And while confident and resilient, a blood type O personality is also self-centered and insecure.

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Japanese blood type personality chart -

It's worth examining these different personality traits in more detail and finding out how the blood types correspond to temperament, according to the Japanese blood type personality chart.

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Blood type A temperament -

If you're blood type A, positive personality traits include creativity, cleverness, loyalty, sensitivity, and trustworthiness.

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Blood type A temperament -

Negative blood type A traits include stubbornness, nervousness, and a tendency to be uptight.

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Blood type B temperament -

If you're blood type B, positive personality traits include empathy, cheerfulness, ambition, and decisiveness.

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Blood type B temperament -

Negative blood type B traits include selfishness, a tendency to be uncooperative, and at times acting erratic.

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Blood type AB temperament -

If you're blood type AB, positive personality traits include being rational, composed, dependable, and popular.

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Blood type AB temperament -

Negative blood type AB traits include forgetfulness, indecisiveness, and at times being far too critical.

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Blood type O temperament -

If you're blood type O, positive personality traits include having confidence, being generous and outgoing, and remaining optimistic.

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Blood type O temperament -

Negative blood type O traits include insecurity, arrogance, and insensitivity.

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Blood type as a matchmaker -

Besides identifying certain individual personality traits, ketsueki-gata claims to offer keys to how to approach romantic, workplace, and family relationships. Crucially, it's a way of distinguishing the temperament and compatibility of the person with other people.

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Type A is tops -

Type A individuals are reportedly more common in Japan than people with other blood types, according to The Japan Times. And it's not uncommon for Japanese women to know the characteristics of their own blood group and, perhaps more importantly, its suitability with others. In fact, someone might reject a potential partner purely based on fears of incompatibility due to blood type.

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Bad blood -

For example, people with blood type B are said to clash with those with type A blood.

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AB = A and B -

Blood type AB is generally considered as having the characteristics of both type A and type B individuals. As such and because this blood group is also rare, the people who have it are heavily appreciated in Japan.

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O is a no no -

On the other hand, those Japanese with blood type O are said to especially appear selfish to individuals with type A blood.

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Providing a better understanding of life -

Ketsueki-gata remains popular in Japan as a method of personality typing. And while no legitimate scientific research linking blood type to personality has been published, ketsueki-gata, like astrology, which might attribute certain personality traits to movements in the cosmos, can give people confidence about where they fit in, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and provide a better understanding of their own lives.

Sources: (Verywell Mind) (Motto Japan) (Healthline) (Psych Central) (Visual Capitalist) (The Japan Times)

See also: Discover which Myers-Briggs personality type is most compatible with your own

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