Personality tests are often associated with serious introspection, exploring whether one might be a “highly sensitive person” or a “covert narcissist.” However, not all personality assessments need to delve into such weighty topics. Sometimes, a playful quiz can offer just as much insight into our personalities, as demonstrated by a new historical figure quiz that matches participants with famous individuals from the past, such as Joan of Arc, Plato, or Gandhi.
This entertaining quiz might seem far removed from the rigorous assessments crafted by research psychologists, yet it shares more in common with scientific inquiry than one might initially assume. Historical figure quizzes touch on profound questions explored by fields like psychobiography and retrospective diagnosis, which use historical accounts to uncover the personalities and psychological dispositions of historical figures.
Exploring Historical Figures Through Psychology
For instance, historical analyses have long suggested that Julius Caesar may have experienced epileptic seizures. The Roman historian Suetonius documented episodes resembling seizure activity in his work, The Twelve Caesars. Similarly, researchers have speculated that Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, may have struggled with depression or bipolar-spectrum symptoms, based on gaps in his journals and descriptions of mood instability.
These historical inquiries highlight how understanding the personalities of past figures can illuminate both their actions and the times in which they lived. Here are a few notable examples of how historical personality assessments have deepened our understanding of both history and ourselves.
Abraham Lincoln and Depressive Temperament
Psychologists and historians have extensively studied Abraham Lincoln’s recurrent melancholy. His depressive episodes are well-documented through letters, anecdotes from colleagues, and his own reflections. Joshua Wolf Shenk’s Lincoln’s Melancholy synthesizes this evidence with psychological research, suggesting that Lincoln’s introspective style aligns with what modern psychology describes as a depressive temperament. This temperament may have contributed to his empathy, careful judgment, and moral clarity during the Civil War.
Florence Nightingale’s Personality and Chronic Illness
Historians have debated whether Florence Nightingale suffered from a psychosomatic condition or a long-term bacterial illness. Modern medical analyses suggest she may have had brucellosis. However, psychobiographical work also highlights her perfectionism, sense of mission, and high conscientiousness. These traits, linked in contemporary personality research with prosocial leadership and a reformist drive, may explain both her resilience and her occasionally intense work habits.
Beethoven and Mood-Related Creativity
Beethoven’s alternating periods of explosive productivity and emotional withdrawal have intrigued psychologists studying creativity and mood disorders. Articles in journals such as Bipolar Disorders have examined whether his fluctuations resemble cyclothymia, a milder form of bipolar disorder. While retrospective diagnosis can’t be conclusive, these analyses offer insight into how mood variability may interact with bursts of creative output.
Queen Victoria and Attachment Style
Letters between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert reveal a strong emotional dependency that some psychologists have analyzed through the lens of attachment theory. Researchers have noted that her distress during separations resembles patterns associated with anxious attachment—a style linked with emotional expressiveness and closeness-seeking behaviors. Understanding this dimension helps historians contextualize her political decisions, public image, and the prolonged mourning period after Albert’s death.
The Connection to Personality Quizzes
While a playful quiz about which historical figure you resemble isn’t a scientific assessment, it does touch on questions that modern psychology studies seriously. These include:
- What traits shape a person’s decisions?
- How do our motivations influence the legacy we create?
- Which traits lead people toward leadership, creativity, diplomacy, or rebellion?
Psychological research shows that people intuitively use narrative identity—the idea that we understand ourselves through stories—to interpret their personality. Dan McAdams of Northwestern University describes narrative identity as the internal story we build to make sense of who we are. Historical figure quizzes tap into this tendency, inviting you to see yourself reflected in the lives of people whose exaggerated qualities illuminate something familiar in your own personality.
For example, someone who gets Plato may score high in Openness to Experience, a Big Five trait associated with intellectual curiosity and abstract thinking. A match with Joan of Arc might indicate high Assertiveness and Moral Conviction. Gandhi aligns with self-regulation and conscientiousness, Catherine the Great with ambition and strategic thinking, and Cicero with diplomacy and rhetorical skill.
Understanding Your Historical Opposite
Moreover, there’s as much value in knowing your historical “opposite” as there is in knowing your twin. Personality researchers often study trait opposites to highlight blind spots or complementary strengths. For example:
- Extraversion vs. Introversion
- Emotional Stability vs. Neuroticism
- Dominance vs. Agreeableness
Seeing yourself in contrast can be just as illuminating as seeing your match. Ultimately, whether through a fun quiz or a detailed psychobiographical study, exploring historical personalities offers a unique lens through which to view our own traits, decisions, and potential legacies.
