does blood type determine personality?

from yahoo

In Japan, you are what your blood type is

By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press Writer Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Writer – Sun Feb 1, 11:32 am ET

TOKYO – In Japan, "What's your type?" is much more than small talk; it can be a paramount question in everything from matchmaking to getting a job.

By type, the Japanese mean blood type, and no amount of scientific debunking can kill a widely held notion that blood tells all.

In the year just ended, four of Japan's top 10 best-sellers were about how blood type determines personality, according to Japan's largest book distributor, Tohan Co. The books' publisher, Bungeisha, says the series — one each for types B, O, A, and AB — has combined sales of well over 5 million copies.

Taku Kabeya, chief editor at Bungeisha, thinks the appeal comes from having one's self-image confirmed; readers discover the definition of their blood type and "It's like 'Yes, that's me!'"

As defined by the books, type As are sensitive perfectionists but overanxious; Type Bs are cheerful but eccentric and selfish; Os are curious, generous but stubborn; and ABs are arty but mysterious and unpredictable.

All that may sound like a horoscope, but the public doesn't seem to care.

Even Prime Minister Taro Aso seems to consider it important enough to reveal in his official profile on the Web. He's an A. His rival, opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa, is a B.

Nowadays blood type features in a Nintendo DS game and on "lucky bags" of women's accessories tailored to blood type and sold at Tokyo's Printemps department store. A TV network is set to broadcast a comedy about women seeking husbands according to blood type.

It doesn't stop there.

Matchmaking agencies provide blood-type compatibility tests, and some companies make decisions about assignments based on employees' blood types.

Children at some kindergartens are divided up by blood type, and the women's softball team that won gold at the Beijing Olympics used the theory to customize each player's training.

Not all see the craze as harmless fun, and the Japanese now have a term, "bura-hara," meaning blood-type harassment.

And, despite repeated warnings, many employers continue to ask blood types at job interviews, said Junichi Wadayama, an official at the Health, Welfare and Labor Ministry.

"It's so widespread that most people, even company officials, are not aware that asking blood types could lead to discrimination," Wadayama said.

Blood types, determined by the proteins in the blood, have nothing to do with personality, said Satoru Kikuchi, associate professor of psychology at Shinshu University.

"It's simply sham science," he said. "The idea encourages people to judge others by the blood types, without trying to understand them as human beings. It's like racism."

This use of blood-typing has unsavory roots.

The theory was imported from Nazi race ideologues and adopted by Japan's militarist government in the 1930s to breed better soldiers. The idea was scrapped years later and the craze faded.

It resurfaced in the 1970s, however, as Masahiko Nomi, an advocate with no medical background, gave the theory mass appeal. His son, Toshitaka, now promotes it through a private group, the Human Science ABO Center, saying it's not intended to rank or judge people but to smooth relationships and help make the best of one's talents.

The books tend to stop short of blood-type determinism, suggesting instead that while blood type creates personality tendencies, it's hardly definitive.

"Good job, you're done. So how do you feel about the results?" one blood type manual asks on its closing page. "Your type, after all, is what you decide you are."

I'm type A positive:
type As are sensitive perfectionists but overanxious

And this is me exactly, you fuckin dumb cocksuckers.

Blood-type harassment? Damn, folks be crazy. Gotta agree with the horoscope analogy.

(And I'm A+...not sure about the sensitive, but definitely overanxious and perfectionist. Can say the same about any of the other descriptions. Lame. :rolleyes: )

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lady Alias

Blood-type harassment? Damn, folks be crazy. Gotta agree with the horoscope analogy.

(And I'm A+...not sure about the sensitive, but definitely overanxious and perfectionist. Can say the same about any of the other descriptions. Lame. :rolleyes: )

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Good. I know where to go if I need a transfusion.:thumb:

I don't believe in that crap at all.

I'm O-, I'm a universal donor, but those weird fucking Japanese can't have any of it!

Os are curious, generous but stubborn

Im o- too.

Hey guys, lets go feel the bumps on eachothers head to see if it makes us criminals.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Velvet-Tongue

Os are curious, generous but stubborn

Im o- too.

Hey guys, lets go feel the bumps on eachothers head to see if it makes us criminals.

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fronalogy? did I spell that right?

I wonder if each type of blood taste differently. I sure as hell hope mine is tasty!

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Originally Posted by VoltaireBlue

fronalogy? did I spell that right?

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Not to be pedantic, but you did ask - "phrenology".

Os are curious, generous but stubborn

Not sure I can judge how generous I am. The rest sounds about right, but I don't actually believe there is any real relationship there. I just reckon they call us O-negs generous so we give the others more blood.

Just because something is correlated does not mean there is a cause and effect relationship. If there really is any type of relationship between blood type and personality it would probably have to due with genes being close on a chromosome and being inherited together... but that is probably really unlikely also.

Ya know that type A is also interested in fashion, cunning, open minded and loves music?

Yeah, I don't really believe that blood type stuff, but everyone stills asks me what my blood type is. When we have a group of Japanese and Non-Japanese friends over, blood type personality usually comes up.