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Japanese blood type theory of personality
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Japanese Blood Type Personality Chart | |
| Type A | |
|---|---|
| Best Traits: | Conservative, introverted, reserved, patient and punctual. Perfectionists. |
| Worst Traits: | Obsessive, stubborn, self conscious and uptight. |
| Famous As: | George H. W. Bush, Ayumi Hamasaki, O.J. Simpson, Britney Spears, Alan Alda, Adolf Hitler, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Jet Li, Maki Nomiya, Rick James |
| Type B | |
| Best Traits: | Creative, passionate, animal loving, optimistic, flexible and individualistic. |
| Worst Traits: | Forgetful, irresponsible, and self-centered. |
| Famous Bs: | Akira Kurosawa, Jack Nicholson, Luciano Pavarotti, Tom Selleck, Mia Farrow, Paul McCartney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Vince Young |
| Type AB | |
| Best Traits: | Cool, controlled, rational, introverted and empathic. |
| Worst Traits: | Aloof, critical, indecisive and unforgiving. |
| Famous ABs: | John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Mick Jagger, Thomas Edison, Bob Sapp, Miyavi, Jackie Chan, Ken Kitamura |
| Type O | |
| Best Traits: | Ambitious, athletic, robust and self-confident. Natural leaders. |
| Worst Traits: | Arrogant, vain, insensitive and ruthless. |
| Famous Os: | Al Capone, Gerald Ford, Mikhail Gorbachev, John Gotti, Crystal Kay,Queen Elizabeth II, John Lennon, Paul Newman, Elvis Presley, Ronald Reagan |
The blood type theory of personality is a popular belief in Japan that a person's ABO blood type or ketsueki-gata (血液型?) is predictive of their personality, character, and compatibility with others, similar to the Western world's astrology. This belief has carried over to certain extent in other parts of East Asia such as South Korea and Taiwan. In Japan, asking someone their blood type is considered as normal as asking their astrological sign in other countries. This theory is completely dismissed by most scientists as superstition or pseudoscience; still, many people believe this theory.
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The discovery of blood types in 1901 has been hailed as one of the greatest advances in medical history, but the breakthrough was then used by the Nazis to further their eugenics program, and claim the superiority of Germans — mostly types A and O — over Jews, Asians and others with a larger proportion of type B blood.[1]
The theory first reached Japan in 1927 in Takeji Furukawa's paper "The Study of Temperament Through Blood Type" in the scholarly journal Psychological Research. He was a professor at Tokyo Women's Teacher's School. The idea quickly took off with the Japanese public despite his lack of credentials, and the militarist government of the time commissioned a study aimed at breeding better soldiers.[1] The craze faded in the 1930s as its unscientific basis became evident. It was revived in the 1970s with a book by Masahiko Nomi, an advocate and broadcaster with no medical background.
While scientific study has shown that people of specific blood types may be more prone to certain illnesses, little research has been carried out on the correlation between blood type and personality traits. One such study, by the psychologist Raymond Cattell, examined blood samples of 323 Caucasian Australians for 17 genetic systems including 7 blood groups and 21 psychological variables.[2] The results produced 13 significant differences at a confidence interval of p<0.05 and 11 at p<0.01, the most conclusive finding occurring in the association between the P blood group system and anxiety.
Some medical studies do however show variation of hormones and enzymes which other studies have associated with personality changes: Individuals have varying levels of the enzyme dopamine beta hydroxylase and catecholamine hormones according to their blood type as a result of genetic linkage of nearby genes on chromosome 9 (the locus for ABO blood group in humans).[3] Congenital dopamine beta-hydroxylase deficiency is caused by mutation in the gene encoding dopamine beta-hydroxylase on chromosome 9q34, also the ABO locus.[4]
The ABO blood group system and platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity are known to be two genetic markers for affective disorder. In researching a connection between the two markers, one study found that the platelet MAO activity of subjects with blood type O was significantly lower than that of subjects with other blood types,[5][6] criminal behaviour,[7] alcoholism, antisocial personality and impulsivity.[8]
According to Nomi's theory, those with type A blood tend to be reserved, punctual, and law-abiding, while type Os tend to be more outgoing, passionate, and driven; it is for this reason they are often considered "warrior" spirits. Type Bs are said to be loners and self-sufficient, as "hunters," while ABs are said to be serious and solitary by nature.
Type A blood is the most common in Japan and Germany while type O is most prevalent in the United States. 60% of Japanese Prime Ministers have been type O. Type Bs are also said to make great cooks and restaurant guides featuring Type B chefs are popular products in Japan.[citation needed]
Persons having Rh negative blood types are extremely rare in the Japanese population with a recent survey placing the percentage at around less than 1% of the total population, and no particular significance is attached to the Rh type.
Blood type theory is widely popular in women's magazines as a way to gauge relationship compatibility with a potential or current partner. Morning television shows feature blood type horoscopes, and similar horoscopes are published daily in newspapers. Though there is not a proven correlation between blood type and personality, it has still remained in the many matchmaking services that cater to blood type. In this way, it is similar to the use of astrological signs in the west, which is also popular in Japan. Asking about a blood type is common and it is often a surprise if a foreigner is unaware of their own blood type.
Blood type consultants attempt to calculate how well different people work together based on blood type, but they have never established reliable sources. However they declare this theory as scientific, so some companies have accepted this craze.
It is common among anime and manga authors to mention their character's blood types, and to give their characters corresponding blood types to match their personalities. Some video game characters also have known blood types; an example being the Dead or Alive series, which lists character blood types in both the manual and in-game bios. In addition, it is common for videogame series, such as Gungriffon, Tekken, Animal Crossing and Princess Maker to allow for blood type as an option in their creation modes.
- My Boyfriend is Type B A Korean romantic comedy based on the idea of blood type personality.
- ^ a b Associated Press. "Myth about Japan blood types under attack", MSN News, 2005-06-08. Retrieved on 2007-02-28.
- ^ "The relation of blood types to primary and secondary personality traits." The Mankind Quarterly, pp35-51, Vol. 21, 1980.
- ^ Goldin L, Gershon E, Lake C, et. al (1982). "Segregation and linkage studies of plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH), erythrocyte catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO): possible linkage between the ABO locus and a gene controlling DBH activity.". Am J Hum Genet 34 (2): 250-62. PMID 6951409.
- ^ Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) 223360 "Linkage analysis by Wilson et al. (1987, 1988) yielded a lod score of 5.88 at a recombination fraction of 0.0 for the linkage of DBH and ABO."
- ^ Arató M, Bagdy G, Rihmer Z, Kulcsár Z (1983). "Reduced platelet MAO activity in healthy male students with blood group O.". Acta Psychiatr Scand 67 (2): 130-4. PMID 6573841.
- ^ Beitchman J, Mik H, Ehtesham S, Douglas L, Kennedy J (2004). "MAOA and persistent, pervasive childhood aggression.". Mol Psychiatry 9 (6): 546-7. PMID 15024395.
- ^ Nilsson K, Sjöberg R, Damberg M, et. al (2006). "Role of monoamine oxidase A genotype and psychosocial factors in male adolescent criminal activity.". Biol Psychiatry 59 (2): 121-7. PMID 16125147.
- ^ Gutiérrez B, Arias B, Gastó C, Catalán R, Papiol S, Pintor L, Fañanás L (2004). "Association analysis between a functional polymorphism in the monoamine oxidase A gene promoter and severe mood disorders.". Psychiatr Genet 14 (4): 203-8. PMID 15564894.
- Toshitaka Nomi and Alexander Besher, You Are Your Blood Type: the biochemical key to unlocking the secrets of your personality. New York: Pocket Books, 1988. ISBN 0671633422
- (Japanese) ABO Group homepage with blood types descriptions.
- ABO FAN enthusiast site on blood type and personality