The general category of stains that includes transfer stains, flow patterns, saturation stains, and stains from dripping blood is "passive stains" and "transfer stains," both of which fall under the broader classification of bloodstain patterns.

• Passive stains are formed primarily by the force of gravity acting on blood, and this category includes drops, drips, flow patterns, and pooling (including saturation stains where blood soaks into a material).

• Transfer stains occur when a bloodied object comes into contact with another surface, leaving behind wipes, swipes, or pattern transfers. These include transfer stains created by adhesion without gravity involvement.

Thus, dripping blood and flow patterns belong to passive stains, while transfer stains are specifically categorized as transfer patterns within bloodstain pattern analysis. Saturation stains typically are a subcategory of passive stains showing absorption into materials.

In summary, the stains mentioned broadly belong to the general bloodstain pattern categories of passive stains and transfer stains.