Are You a ‘Testosterone’ or a ‘Dopamine?’

By Elizabeth Bernstein for Wall Street Journal

A decade ago, the biological anthropologist Helen Fisher set out to answer the question of how we choose whom we love. Dr. Fisher is known for her research scanning the brains of people in various stages of love, and she went looking for neurological clues.

She found them—and, in the process, she developed a broad personality test that, unlike many others, is based on brain science rather than psychology. The Fisher Temperament Inventory measures temperament, which comes from our genes, hormones and neurotransmitters. It can help people understand themselves and why they are attracted to certain people, both romantically and as friends or colleagues. (It turns out some personality types are attracted to people who are the opposite of them, while other types are attracted to people who are similar.)

And when you know the personality type of loved ones or co-workers, you will understand how they prefer to communicate and will be able to tailor your approach to what works best. The inventory is so comprehensive that now some companies are using a version of it to help understand and motivate their employees.