Blood type, a personality indicator used before MBTI
6 out of 10 people believe in the ‘blood type personality theory.’
Before the popularization of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), blood type was used as an indicator to understand not only oneself but also others.
Some firmly believed that personality types and characteristics vary by blood type, and there were even those who filtered out romantic and marriage partners based on blood type compatibility.
The question “What’s your blood type?” naturally came up among friends or in flirtatious relationships, just like the current trend of asking “Are you T?” or “Are you F?” based on MBTI traits. Phrases like “Are you A type?” or “You’re B type, aren’t you?” were commonly used.
Nowadays, it has been overshadowed by the more analytical(?) MBTI, and although it has not been scientifically or medically proven, it was found that quite a lot of people still believe in the ‘blood type personality theory.’
According to a survey conducted by Korean Gallup for a month in February this year, excluding Jeju, out of 1,501 adults aged 19 and over nationwide, six out of ten respondents said they believed in personality traits by blood type.
In response to the question, ‘Do you think a person’s personality varies depending on their blood type?’ 57% (approximately 855) said ‘yes,’ and 43% (about 645) said ‘no’. It was also found that women (60% of respondents) trust the blood type personality theory more than men (54%).
This is a decrease from the 20 years ago in 2002 survey, where 67% of the 1,500 respondents believed in this blood type personality theory. However, the majority believed there are differences in a person’s personality depending on their blood type.
So, what is their most preferred blood type?
When asked ‘What is your favorite blood type?’ by those who believe in the blood type personality theory, the answer ‘O type’ (49%) was overwhelmingly the most common. △A type (19%) △B type (12%) △AB type (6%) followed. 14% of respondents said they ‘do not have a particularly favorite blood type’.
In past surveys, the O type was also highly preferred, and respondents who participated in the 2012 survey stated they liked the O type for reasons such as ‘they have a harmonious personality,’ ‘they are active,’ and ‘they are passionate.’
However, 64% of those who believe in the blood type personality theory said ‘they do not consider blood type when dating or choosing a spouse.’ Only 36% said, ‘It is good to consider blood type.’
The ‘blood type personality theory,’ which claims that people’s personalities and characteristics vary by blood type, has not been scientifically proven. Image to aid understanding of the article / Halfpoint-Shutterstock.com
Korean Gallup, which conducted this survey and announced the results on the 19th, explained, “Karl Landsteiner, an Austrian pathologist who pioneered the ABO blood type classification, received the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his contribution” and “There have been many attempts to use the distribution of blood types by region and race as a basis for discrimination, but none have been scientifically proven.”
They continued, “In Korea and Japan, along with the rumor that people’s personalities vary by blood type, the continuous emergence of study methods, health methods, and dating methods by blood type have been observed. This survey examined how Koreans perceive this blood type personality theory and what changes have occurred over the past 20 years. The academic consensus is that the blood type personality theory has no scientific basis, and some even view it as a form of discrimination.”
They added, “Please remember that this is not based on scientific or medical data.”
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