Cipolla Temperament Test
The Italian economist Carlo Cipolla believed it was possible to explain human temperament by way of economic logic. In doing so, he postulated four basic human temperaments: Smart people, good people, bad people, and stupid people.
What is your temperament like according to Carlo Cipolla? For each of the following statements, indicate your level of agreement below.
Question 1 of 16
I might be willing to take a punch if it meant that somebody I didn’t like received two punches.
| Disagree | Agree |
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The IDRlabs Cipolla Economic Temperament Test (IDR-CETT) was developed by IDRlabs. The IDR-CEET is based on the work of Carlo M. Cipolla, who authored the classical essay “The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity”, originally published in 1976. The IDR-CEET is not associated with any specific researchers in the field of behavioral economics or any affiliated research institutions.
The IDRlabs Cipolla Temperament Test was informed by Cipolla's Economic Temperament Model, as published in “The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity,” an essay dedicated to exploring and analyzing human temperament using economic logic.
The work of Carlo Cipolla has informed later intellectuals in their research into understanding human behavior, for example, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, who authored On Robustness, Antifragile, and Skin in the Game. Cipolla's theory is based on an academic and psychological framework but delivered in a humorous tone. The present test is intended for educational purposes only. IDRlabs and the present IDRlabs Cipolla Temperament Test are independent of all of the above researchers, organizations, or their affiliated institutions.
This Cipolla Economic Temperament Test is based on the famous essay in that it operationalizes the preferred economic inclinations lying behind the test-taker’s method of solving various problems in everyday human interaction. However, free online tests and quizzes such as this one are solely first glances and cannot provide an accurate assessment of your economic temperament. Hence, the test is intended to be used for educational purposes only. A definitive assessment of your economic temperament can be made only through your own research.
This test will return results such as: Smart People – Do good for others while simultaneously doing good for themselves (win-win). They are economically smart and make things better for everyone. Kind People – Do good for others while neglecting to do good for themselves (win-lose). They are kindhearted but too good for this world. Crooked People – Do bad to others while simultaneously doing good for themselves (lose-win). They are nefarious and impinge on the rights of others for personal gain. Stupid People – Do bad to others while simultaneously doing bad to themselves (lose-lose). Non-stupid people always underestimate the damage these people can do.
As the publishers of this free online Cipolla Temperament Test, which allows you to screen yourself for the signs of your economic temperament, we have strived to make the test as reliable and valid as possible by subjecting it to statistical controls and validation. However, free online quizzes such as the present Cipolla Temperament Test do not provide professional assessments or recommendations of any kind; the test is provided entirely “as-is.” For more information about any of our online tests and quizzes, please consult our Terms of Service.
Why Use This Test?
1. Free. This Economic Temperament Test is provided to you free of charge and will allow you to obtain your score as it relates to the personality profiles defined by Italian economist Carlo Cipolla.
2. Statistical controls. Scores for the present test are entered into an anonymized database. Statistical analysis of the quiz is conducted to ensure maximum validity and accuracy of the scores.
3. Made by professionals. The current test has been designed following the recommendations of people who work professionally with psychological research and psychometrics.