Brief characteristics of temperament types. Types of human temperament and their brief psychological characteristics

Every person is unique. Our psyche is multifaceted; we perceive the world around us in different ways. The perception of what is happening around depends on many factors, for example, upbringing, type of temperament, social experience. Let's look at what temperament is and its 4 main types.

Temperament: 4 types of human temperament

A person’s temperament can be called a kind of biological foundation on the basis of which the personality itself is formed. These are social properties of the psyche that determine the dynamics of mental activity, behavior and social adaptation of people.

Hippocrates is considered to be the founder of the doctrine of types of temperament. He argued that people are divided depending on the ratio of the four main substances of the body: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm and blood. Claudius Galen supported the idea of ​​Hippocrates and wrote an entire scientific treatise called “Right Measure”. Claudius Galen identified four main types of human temperament. These are sanguine (blood), choleric (bile), phlegmatic (phlegm), melancholic (black bile).

Properties of temperament in psychology

Human temperament is based on a number of specific properties, such as:

Sensitivity. This is the degree of force of external influence necessary for a reaction to occur on the part of the psyche. Some people react calmly to external stimuli, others react violently;

Reactivity. The property of reactivity is determined by the level of involuntary reaction to internal or external influence (sharp sound, tone of voice);

Activity, relationship between activity and reactivity. These properties indicate how a person reacts to life's difficulties. Is he ready to overcome various obstacles in life, to be focused, persistent, attentive;

Rigidity and plasticity. These properties of temperament can indicate how skillfully a person can adapt to external influences of the social environment;

Reactive Activity Rate. They characterize the speed of mental processes and reactions to external stimuli;

Introversion and extroversion. These properties depend on the speed of human reactions and the speed of solutions applied;

Emotional excitability. Characterizes the degree of external influence on a person in the form of manifestations of signs of emotional arousal;

Choleric - characteristics of temperament: pros and cons

Cholerics have a strong-willed character.

Type of nervous system: unbalanced, unrestrained, overly mobile.

A choleric person takes on any difficult task, no matter how difficult it is. Such people are excellent speakers, they are eloquent and convincing in almost any dispute.

Cholerics are not vindictive, they quickly forget grievances and cannot hold within themselves for a long time a feeling of anger towards the offender.

Cholerics are excellent leaders; they can organize people and make difficult decisions for them. In a critical situation, a choleric person is able to group, repel the enemy, and protect a weak person.

The choleric person is not restrained in his statements in relation to current events, and can sometimes become rude.

Cholerics have a certain tendency to dominate other people. Often people with such temperaments are subject to rapid mood changes and excessive gesticulation.

In the love sphere, the choleric person is quite jealous, while the loved one becomes a kind of property for him. People with this type of temperament quickly fall in love and become attached to another person. Sometimes choleric people in relationships are prone to anger and scandals.

Choleric children are quite capricious and are often the center of attention in the family. A child can use his emotions to achieve the desired result. Such children are often capricious, show hyperactivity in adolescence, and may become interested in sports or music, but they quickly become bored with their hobbies.

Disadvantages of a choleric person

The main disadvantages of a choleric person include:

• Excessive haste in your actions and actions;
• Cholerics are not patient;
• Excessive impulsiveness and imbalance;
• Excessive straightforwardness and harshness when communicating with other people;
• Aggression that occurs periodically;

Psychologists recommend that choleric people learn to work on themselves. This work should include the ability to control oneself in any conflict situations. Often choleric people make rash decisions and literally throw themselves into the pool headlong. The ten-second tactic suits them, which consists of mentally counting to ten before making an important decision or expressing an opinion.

Sanguine person - characteristics: pros and cons of sanguine person

Sanguine people are cheerful and incorrigible optimists. These people cannot sit still, they need constant movement.

Sanguine people are very active, and this activity manifests itself in literally all areas of a sanguine person’s life. They love to be the center of attention, but unlike choleric people, they do not have the habits of dictators.

The peculiarity of the psychological behavior of sanguine people is characterized by a high degree of excitability.

Sanguine people know how to get along with people and find a compromise in any difficult life situations. They are resourceful and enterprising. A sanguine person can literally lead a crowd, because these people are excellent speakers who know how to convince others that they are right.

Hyperactivity does not give a sanguine person the right to sit still. He tries to make his life brighter and more interesting. Such people love to travel, discovering more and more new facets of the world around them. Many artists, musicians, and actors are sanguine.

Psychological feature of a sanguine person

If we talk about the psychological component of sanguine people, then in these people the degree of excitement in the central nervous system is quite high. On the contrary, the inhibition threshold is low, and therefore sanguine people perceive the world in a somewhat illusory way. But at the same time, memory functions are remarkably developed. Often sanguine people focus their memory only on what arouses their interest. They can remember funny incidents, but at the same time forget the birthdays of their friends. Sanguine people pay attention to noticeable details, such as bright clothes or the unusual hairstyle of their interlocutor.

The emotional background of sanguine people is quite diverse. These people are emotional and are not afraid to show their experiences to others. They often gesture when talking, and may hug or kiss when meeting. These emotions are completely sincere; a sanguine person wants to please people and receive the same reaction from them in return. Sanguine people are distinguished by unconventional thinking; they are constantly trying to learn something new, change their image or type of activity. Monotonous work and loneliness lead them to severe depression.

People with this type of temperament have a lot of friends. A sanguine person knows how to make friends, and always comes to a person’s aid in a difficult situation. In personal relationships, sanguine people are sometimes flighty. An excessive thirst for communication prevents them from building a strong family.

The main disadvantages of sanguine people:

• Inconsistency in actions and deeds. A sanguine person often gets down to business, but rarely completes it; such people cannot work in monotonous work;
• Sanguine people often overestimate themselves and their capabilities;
• People with a similar temperament have mood swings, it is difficult for them to develop strong-willed qualities;

Phlegmatic - characteristics: pros and cons

A phlegmatic person is a balanced person who carefully thinks through his every step. Usually such people have an analytical mind and look at life around them soberly.

Phlegmatic people are quite lazy, often prefer not to be active and go with the flow. They are always calm and unperturbed. Even if they have experienced stress or an unpleasant life situation, they do not always show their temper.

It is difficult to anger a phlegmatic person; his nervous system is like a scale keeping balance. If it is difficult to bring him to simple emotions, then making him show activity or joy is even more difficult.

In other words, the phlegmatic type of human temperament is recognized as the most balanced and emotionally stable.

Phlegmatic people do not immediately make contact with people; they need time to assess the situation. A sudden change in the environment is like a tragedy for them and it is very difficult to bear. These people do not like active entertainment, they like a cozy home environment, and often prefer to spend time alone with themselves.

Phlegmatic people are painstaking and diligent in their work, they have a good memory and can remember large amounts of information.

Phlegmatic people are quite closed and hidden; they are reluctant to show sympathy for another person. But if a phlegmatic person likes a representative of the opposite sex, then he will do everything to achieve his favor.

It is quite difficult to find friends with a phlegmatic person; he does not make contact well. But if a person with this type of temperament finds a friend, then this friendship can last a lifetime. For phlegmatic people, family is a kind of fortress in which they feel comfortable. Such people get married late and may spend a long time searching for a partner.

The main disadvantages of phlegmatic people:

• They are often not receptive, do not take initiatives, and react poorly to external stimuli;
• They may be stingy with emotions, slow to get involved in work, and have poor contact with people around them;
• Difficulty adapting when changing living conditions;

Melancholic - characteristics: pros and cons of melancholic

Melancholic people are prone to attacks of despair and depression. The temperament of such people is sluggish and pessimistic. Any event, even a minor one, makes a melancholic person worry. He does not know how to enjoy life, and sees it exclusively in a negative tone. Sadness and melancholy can cover such a person for no reason; melancholic people often experience a feeling of self-pity.

People with this type of temperament have to resort to secrecy and suppression of emotions. They experience everything within themselves, which is why depressive mental states appear. Psychologists note that a huge number of people who commit suicide are melancholic.

A melancholic person reacts slowly to external stimuli, does not remember information well, and often suffers from a lot of complexes and an excessively low level of personal self-esteem. Motor activity is sluggish and inexpressive.

Melancholic people cannot work intensively and monotonously, as they necessarily need rest or short breaks to stabilize their psychological state. In a social environment, such people are lethargic, uncommunicative, and it is difficult for them to find a soul mate or a close friend. It is difficult for them to be active and cheerful. They choose sanguine or choleric people as people, since this choice is explained by the melancholic’s subconscious desire to be taken care of.

It can be difficult for melancholic people to arrange their personal life. Often a big role in the fiasco of love relationships is played by their indecision and cowardice. They choose a strong person as their life partner. There are also advantages to this type of temperament.

Melancholic people are kind, vulnerable, and will always share the last thing they have. They subconsciously want to help a person in need.

Disadvantages of melancholic people:

• Emotional instability, indecisiveness, lack of self-confidence and strength;
• Difficulty with the perception of the surrounding world, vulnerability, pessimism;
• Tendency to depressive mental states;

Psychologists strongly recommend that melancholic people not close themselves off. Try to explore the world, travel, communicate with new people. You can try mentoring to improve your personal self-esteem. Engage in active sports, dancing, any creativity. A melancholic person needs to be close to loved ones and friends, and not withdraw into himself and his feelings.

Hippocrates identified 4 types of temperament - sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric and melancholic. However, in their pure form they are rare; each person only gravitates towards one of them. Over the course of life, under the influence of social influence, upbringing, lifestyle, and health, manifestations of temperament can be smoothed out. In children, the signs of temperament are more distinct; they are easy to see if you observe the child’s behavior for some time.

Let's talk in detail about each type of temperament. Let's talk about activities that are comfortable for children, taking into account their temperament.

Sanguine

Proper upbringing will form in a child an active attitude to learning and determination.

Moving, active activities are suitable for such a child. You can choose sports, dancing. Classes can be either individual or in a group or team. Perhaps, due to his activity, the child will be interested in many types of activities, he will want to study in several clubs and studios at once. Allow him this, allow him to move from one section to another. The more skills he masters, the more incentives for development he will receive. A deeper immersion in the chosen activity can occur in subsequent years - in adolescence, adolescence.

Phlegmatic person

This is a calm and leisurely baby. He thoroughly thinks through his actions and shows persistence in achieving his goals. It is difficult for him to quickly navigate a situation, he does not like change, prefers stability, and remembers acquired knowledge and skills for a long time. His mood is stable, he rarely loses his temper, and enjoys communicating with the adults and peers around him.

Upbringing can develop in a phlegmatic child such qualities as perseverance and perseverance. Activities that require painstaking and patience are suitable for him. If your child has a good ear for music, you can offer him music lessons. If he has an interest in drawing, sculpting, appliqué, engage in artistic creativity with him.

Such a child may not like activities that require speed, instant reaction, or quick adaptation. Therefore, from all types of sports activities, choose calm ones. These are swimming, ballroom and sports dancing. There, the skill is formed through repeated repetition and individual work with a trainer.

Team games - football, handball, basketball, contact sports - boxing, fencing will not bring phlegmatic people satisfaction, since they require quick reaction, the ability to understand a partner and opponent and make an instant decision.

Choleric

A choleric child is characterized by imbalance, excitability, speed of actions and movements. It lights up quickly and cools down just as quickly. Painstaking, monotonous, and time-consuming activities will be especially uncomfortable for him. In communication with peers, he strives to be a leader and is often a source of conflict.

With proper upbringing, very important qualities are formed in a choleric child: activity, initiative, passion, organizational and communication skills.

For a child with a choleric temperament, intensive but not very long classes are suitable, where there is the opportunity to communicate with peers or compete with an opponent. A passionate, risk-taking nature will feel at ease on a football field, volleyball or basketball court, or on a bicycle path. A choleric child will also “light up” on the dance floor, in a musical group - where a powerful and short-term release of energy is required.

Activities that require painstaking attention, such as drawing, modeling, embroidery, beadwork, can quickly get boring for such a child. A difficult test for a choleric child will be loneliness and lack of communication with peers.

Melancholic

In children with a melancholic type of temperament, activity proceeds slowly, and they quickly get tired. If you push the child, the actions slow down even more. Slowly, but for a long time, the child is immersed in one or another emotional experience. A bad mood will not be fleeting; the resulting sadness surprises adults with its depth, strength, and duration. The child is anxious in unfamiliar surroundings, shy of unfamiliar people, and avoids numerous contacts with peers.

In the process of upbringing, melancholic children develop gentleness, responsiveness, and sincerity.

For such a child, quiet activities in comfortable conditions are suitable. Melancholic children enjoy reading books, watching educational programs, films, and love to observe and explore the nature around them.

Their deep feelings and experiences can be revealed in artistic and literary work.

To determine your child’s temperament, use the questions presented in the “Diagnostics of abilities and interests” section. They will help you see signs of a type of temperament in your child’s behavior.

Let's sum it up

• Temperament is an innate quality, don’t try to fight it. Try to understand it and take it into account when choosing activities for your child.
• There are no “bad” temperaments. Rudeness, aggressiveness, selfishness, low level of culture are the result of poor upbringing.
• Choose activities according to your child’s inclinations and behavior. Consider the strength and speed of the child’s reactions, stability and change of emotions, activity and fatigue, and the need for communication.
• Parents should not only broaden the child’s horizons, but also develop his abilities, expanding his understanding of various types of activities. It is important to offer your child activities that suit his temperament and capabilities. Such activities will shape his interests, inclinations, and help him overcome uncertainty and fear.

The basis of temperament

Each person is unique, has different ways of expressing emotions, feelings and reacts differently to what is happening in the surrounding reality. If one individual remains calm in any situation, then even the slightest trouble can lead another to despair. These features of human behavior largely depend on differences in the activity of the nervous system.

Temperament as a psychobiological basis of personality

Human mental activity, which is characterized by its dynamic features (tempo, speed and intensity), is temperament. It characterizes not a person’s beliefs, views or interests, but its dynamism, and therefore is not an indicator of value.

The following components can be distinguished that determine the basis of temperament:

• The general activity of a person’s mental activity, which is expressed in the degree of desire to act, to express oneself in various activities, and to transform the surrounding reality. There are two extremes of general activity: on the one hand, passivity, inertia, lethargy, and on the other, impetuosity. Between these two extremes are representatives of different temperaments;
• Motor or motor activity is expressed in the speed, intensity, sharpness, strength of muscle movements and speech of the individual, his mobility, talkativeness;
• Emotional activity expresses the sensitive basis of temperament, that is, the receptivity and sensitivity of the individual to emotional influences, its impulsiveness.

Also, a person’s temperament has an external expression and is manifested in activities, behavior and actions. By these signs one can judge some of its properties. When they talk about temperament, they mainly mean mental differences in people associated with the intensity, depth and stability of emotions, impressionability, and energetic actions.

There are several theories that define the basics of temperament. But with all the variety of approaches to this issue, most scientists recognize that this is a kind of biological foundation on which the individual is formed as a social being.

Physiological basis of temperament

This term was first introduced by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who laid the foundation for the humoral theory. He explained the peculiarities of people's temperaments by different ratios of liquid substances in the body: blood, bile and lymph. If yellow bile predominates, it makes a person hot-tempered, impulsive or choleric. In active, cheerful people (sanguine people), blood predominates, while in calm and slow people (phlegmatic people), lymph predominates. Melancholic people are distinguished by a sad and fearful character, and as Hippocrates argued, black bile predominates in them.

According to the constitutional theory, which was developed by Kretschmer and Zigo, the natural basis of temperament is determined by the characteristics of the general structure of the human body, as well as its individual organs. In turn, an individual’s physique depends on the course of endocrine processes in his body.

But the neurological theory proposed by Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was recognized as the most substantiated. In his opinion, the physiological basis of temperament is a set of acquired characteristics and innate properties of the nervous system.

Individual differences in nervous activity are manifested by the relationship between two main processes - excitation and inhibition, which have three important properties:

• The strength of processes, which is expressed in the ability of nerve cells to withstand prolonged or concentrated exposure to stimuli. This determines the endurance of the cell. The weakness of nervous processes is indicated by high sensitivity or the transition of cells into a state of inhibition instead of excitation when exposed to strong stimuli. This feature often forms the basis of temperament;
• The balance of nervous processes is characterized by an equal ratio of excitation and inhibition. In some people these two processes manifest themselves equally, in others one of them predominates;
• The mobility of nervous processes is a rapid or slow change of excitation to inhibition and back, when life conditions require it. Thus, with unexpected and drastic changes, mobility ensures the individual’s adaptation to the new environment.

Combinations of these properties, according to Pavlov, determine the type of nervous system and are the natural basis of temperament:

• Weak type, in which a person is not able to withstand strong, prolonged and concentrated excitation and inhibition. In a weak nervous system, cells have low efficiency. Although, when exposed to strong irritants, high sensitivity is noted;
• The strong balanced type is characterized by an imbalance in the basic nervous processes and is distinguished by the predominance of excitation over inhibition;
• Strong balanced mobile type - nervous processes are strong and balanced, however, their speed and mobility often lead to instability of connections;
• Strong balanced inert type, in which the processes of excitation and inhibition are strong and balanced, but are characterized by low mobility. Representatives of this type are always calm and difficult to anger.

Thus, the basis of temperament is the individual properties of the psyche, which reflect the dynamics of a person’s mental activity. They manifest themselves regardless of his goals, motives, desires and remain practically unchanged throughout his life.

Doctrine of Temperament

When talking about temperament, we usually mean the dynamic side of personality, expressed in impulsiveness and the pace of mental activity. It is in this sense that we usually say that such and such a person has a large or small temperament, taking into account his impulsiveness, the swiftness with which his inclinations manifest themselves, etc. Temperament is a dynamic characteristic of the mental activity of an individual.

For temperament, firstly, the strength of mental processes is indicative. In this case, not only their absolute strength at one moment or another is significant, but also how constant it remains, i.e., the degree of dynamic stability. With significant stability, the strength of reactions in each individual case depends on the changing conditions in which a person finds himself, and is adequate to them: stronger external irritation causes a stronger reaction, weaker irritation causes a weaker reaction. In individuals with greater instability, on the contrary, strong irritation can - depending on the very changeable state of the personality - cause either a very strong or a very weak reaction; in the same way, the weakest irritation can sometimes cause a very strong reaction; a very significant event, fraught with the most serious consequences, can leave a person indifferent, and in another case, an insignificant reason will give a violent outbreak: the “reaction” in this sense is not at all adequate to the “stimulant”.

Mental activity of the same force may differ in varying degrees of intensity, depending on the relationship between the strength of a given process and the dynamic capabilities of a given individual. Mental processes of a certain intensity can be carried out easily, without any tension in one person at one moment and with great tension in another person or in the same person at another moment. These differences in tension will affect the nature of either the smooth and smooth flow of activity or the jerky flow of activity.

An essential expression of temperament is, further, the speed of mental processes. It is also necessary to distinguish from the speed or speed of the flow of mental processes their tempo (the number of acts in a certain period of time, depending not only on the speed of each act, but also on the size of the intervals between them) and rhythm (which can be not only temporary, but also forceful). ). When characterizing temperament, we must again keep in mind not only the average speed of mental processes. The amplitude of fluctuations characteristic of a given individual from the slowest to the most accelerated rates is also indicative of temperament. Along with this, it is also significant how the transition occurs from slower to faster rates and vice versa - from faster to slower ones: for some it occurs, more or less evenly and smoothly increasing or decreasing, for others - as if in jerks , unevenly and jerkily. These differences can overlap: significant transitions in speed can be made by a smooth and uniform increase, and on the other hand, relatively less significant changes in absolute speed can be made by gusty shocks. These features of temperament affect all the activities of the individual, in the course of all mental processes.

The main manifestation of temperament is very often sought in the dynamic characteristics of a person’s “reactions” - in the strength and speed with which he effectively reacts to irritations. Indeed, the central links in the diverse manifestations of temperament are those that express the dynamic features not of individual mental processes, but of specific activity in the diverse interrelations of various aspects of its mental content. However, the sensorimotor reaction cannot serve as either a comprehensive or adequate expression of human temperament. A person’s impressionability and impulsiveness are especially important for temperament.

A person’s temperament is manifested primarily in his impressionability, characterized by the strength and stability of the impact that impressions have on a person. Depending on the characteristics of temperament, impressionability in some people is more, in others less significant; For some, it’s as if someone, in the words of A. M. Gorky, “torn off all the skin from their hearts,” they are so sensitive to every impression; others - “insensitive”, “thick-skinned” - react very poorly to their surroundings. For some, the influence - strong or weak - that makes an impression on them spreads with great speed, and for others with very low speed, into the deeper layers of the psyche. Finally, depending on the characteristics of their temperament, the stability of the impression varies among different people: for some, the impression - even a strong one - turns out to be very unstable, while others cannot get rid of it for a long time. Impressiveness is always an individually different affective sensitivity among people of different temperaments. It is significantly connected with the emotional sphere and is expressed in the strength, speed and stability of the emotional reaction to impressions.

Temperament is reflected in emotional excitability - the strength of emotional arousal, the speed with which it covers the personality - and the stability with which it is maintained. It depends on a person’s temperament how quickly and strongly he lights up and how quickly he then fades away. Emotional excitability manifests itself, in particular, in a mood that is elevated to the point of exaltation or decreased to the point of depression, and especially in more or less rapid changes in mood, directly related to impressionability.

Another central expression of temperament is impulsiveness, which is characterized by the strength of impulses, the speed with which they master the motor sphere and turn into action, and the stability with which they retain their effective force. Impulsivity includes the impressionability and emotional excitability that determines it in relation to the dynamic characteristics of those intellectual processes that mediate and control them. Impulsivity is that side of temperament by which it is connected with desire, with the origins of will, with the dynamic power of needs as incentives for activity, with the speed of transition of impulses into action.

Temperament is manifested especially clearly in the strength, as well as the speed, rhythm and tempo of a person’s psychomotor skills - in his practical actions, speech, and expressive movements. A person’s gait, his facial expressions and pantomime, his movements, fast or slow, smooth or impetuous, sometimes an unexpected turn or movement of the head, the manner of raising his eyes or looking down, viscous lethargy or slow smoothness, nervous haste or powerful swiftness of speech reveal to us some kind of aspect of personality, that dynamic aspect of it that makes up its temperament. At the very first meeting, with short-term, sometimes even fleeting contact with a person, we often immediately get a more or less vivid impression of his temperament from these external manifestations.

Since ancient times, it has been customary to distinguish four main types of temperaments: choleric, sanguine, melancholic and phlegmatic. Each of these temperaments can be determined by the ratio of impressionability and impulsiveness as the main psychological properties of temperament. Choleric temperament is characterized by strong impressionability and great impulsiveness; sanguine - weak impressionability and great impulsiveness; melancholic - strong impressionability and low impulsiveness; phlegmatic - weak impressionability and low impulsiveness. Thus, this classical traditional scheme naturally follows from the relationship of the basic characteristics with which we endow temperament, while acquiring the corresponding psychological content. The differentiation of both impressionability and impulsiveness in terms of strength, speed and stability, which we outlined above, opens up opportunities for further differentiation of temperaments.

The physiological basis of temperament is the neurodynamics of the brain, i.e., the neurodynamic relationship of the cortex and subcortex. The neurodynamics of the brain is in internal interaction with the system of humoral and endocrine factors. A number of researchers (Pende, Belov, partly E. Kretschmer, etc.) were inclined to make both temperament and even character dependent primarily on these latter. There is no doubt that the system of endocrine glands is included among the conditions affecting temperament.

It would be wrong, however, to isolate the endocrine system from the nervous system and turn it into an independent basis of temperament, since the most humoral activity of the endocrine glands is subject to central innervation. There is an internal interaction between the endocrine system and the nervous system, in which the leading role belongs to the nervous system.

For temperament, the excitability of the subcortical centers, with which the characteristics of motor skills, statics and autonomics are associated, is undoubtedly of significant importance. The tone of the subcortical centers and their dynamics influence both the tone of the cortex and its readiness for action. Due to the role they play in the neurodynamics of the brain, subcortical centers undoubtedly influence temperament. But again, it would be completely wrong, by emancipating the subcortex from the cortex, to turn the former into a self-sufficient factor, into the decisive basis of temperament, as the currents in modern foreign neurology strive to do, which recognize the decisive importance for the temperament of the gray matter of the ventricle and localize the “core” of the personality in the subcortex, in the stem apparatus, in the subcortical ganglia. The subcortex and cortex are inextricably linked with each other. Therefore, it is impossible to separate the first from the second. What is ultimately decisive is not the dynamics of the subcortex itself, but the dynamic relationship between the subcortex and the cortex, as I. P. Pavlov emphasizes in his doctrine of the types of the nervous system.

I. P. Pavlov based his classification of types of nervous system on three main criteria, namely strength, balance and lability of the cortex.

Based on these basic features, as a result of his research using the method of conditioned reflexes, he came to the definition of four main types of the nervous system:

1. Strong, balanced and agile - a lively type.
2. Strong, balanced and inert - a calm, slow type.
3. Strong, unbalanced with a predominance of excitation over inhibition - excitable, unrestrained type.
4. Weak type.

The division of the types of the nervous system into strong and weak does not lead to a further symmetrical division of the weak type, as well as the strong, according to the remaining two signs of balance and mobility (lability), because these differences, which give significant differentiation in the case of the strong type, turn out to be practically insignificant and do not provide really significant differentiation.

I. P. Pavlov connects the types of nervous systems he outlined with temperaments, comparing the four groups of nervous systems that he came to in the laboratory with the ancient classification of temperaments dating back to Hippocrates. He is inclined to identify his excitable type with the choleric, the melancholic with the inhibitory, and the two forms of the central type - calm and lively - with the phlegmatic and sanguine.

Pavlov considers the main evidence in favor of the differentiation of the types of nervous system that he establishes to be different reactions under strong counteractions of the irritable and inhibitory processes.

Pavlov's teaching about the types of nervous activity is essential for understanding the physiological basis of temperament. Its correct use involves taking into account the fact that the type of nervous system is a strictly physiological concept, and temperament is a psychophysiological concept and it is expressed not only in motor skills, in the nature of reactions, their strength, speed, etc., but also in impressionability, in emotional excitability, etc.

The mental properties of temperament are undoubtedly closely related to the bodily properties of the body - both the innate structural features of the nervous system (neuroconstitution) and the functional characteristics of the (muscular, vascular) tone of organic life activity. However, the dynamic properties of human activity are not reducible to the dynamic features of organic life activity; With all the importance of the innate characteristics of the body, in particular its nervous system, for temperament they are only the starting point of its development, which is not separate from the development of the personality as a whole.

Temperament is not a property of the nervous system or neuroconstitution as such; it is a dynamic aspect of personality, characterizing the dynamics of its mental activity. This dynamic side of temperament is interconnected with other aspects of a person’s life and is mediated by the specific content of her life and activities; Therefore, the dynamics of a person’s activity cannot be reduced to the dynamic features of his life, since that itself is determined by the relationship of the individual with the environment. This is clearly revealed when analyzing any side, any manifestation of temperament.

Thus, no matter how significant the role the organic foundations of sensitivity and the properties of the peripheral receptor and central apparatus play in human impressionability, impressionability cannot be reduced to them. The impressions that are perceived by a person are usually caused not by isolated sensory stimuli, but by phenomena, objects, persons that have a certain objective meaning and evoke on the part of a person one or another attitude towards himself, determined by his tastes, attachments, beliefs, character, worldview. Because of this, sensitivity or impressionability itself turns out to be indirect and selective.

Impressionability is mediated and transformed by needs, interests, tastes, inclinations, etc. - the whole person’s attitude towards the environment and depends on the individual’s life path.

In the same way, changes in emotions and moods, states of emotional upsurge or decline in a person depend not only on the tone of the body’s vital functions. Changes in tone, undoubtedly, also affect the emotional state, but the tone of life is mediated and determined by the relationship of the individual with the environment and, therefore, the entire content of his conscious life. Everything that has been said about the mediation of impressionability and emotionality by the conscious life of the individual applies even more to impulsiveness, since impulsiveness includes both impressionability and emotional excitability and is determined by their relationship with the power and complexity of the intellectual processes that mediate and control them.

Human actions are also irreducible to organic life activity, since they are not just motor reactions of the body, but acts that are aimed at certain objects and pursue certain goals. They are therefore mediated and conditioned in all their mental properties, including dynamic ones that characterize temperament, by a person’s attitude towards the environment, the goals that he sets for himself, the needs, tastes, inclinations, and beliefs that determine these goals. Therefore, it is in no way possible to reduce the dynamic features of a person’s actions to the dynamic features of his organic life activity, taken in itself; the very tone of his organic life activity may be determined by the course of his activity and the turnover that it receives for him. The dynamic features of activity inevitably depend on the specific relationship of the individual with his environment; they will be some in conditions that are adequate for him and others in conditions that are inadequate. Therefore, attempts to give a doctrine of temperaments based only on a physiological analysis of nervous mechanisms without correlation in animals with the biological conditions of their existence, and in humans with the historically developing conditions of their social existence and practical activity, are fundamentally illegitimate.

The dynamic characteristics of mental activity do not have a self-sufficient, formal character; it depends on the content and specific conditions of the activity, on the individual’s attitude to what he does and to the conditions in which he finds himself. The pace of my activity will obviously be different in the case when its direction is forced to run counter to my inclinations, interests, skills and abilities, with the peculiarities of my character, when I feel myself in an environment alien to me, and in the case when I am captured and am passionate about the content of my work and am in an environment that is consonant with me.

Liveliness, turning into playful playfulness or swagger, and regularity, even slowness of movements, taking on the character of sedateness or majesty in facial expressions, pantomime, posture, gait, and behavior of a person, are determined by a variety of reasons, including the mores of the social environment in which a person lives , and the social position he occupies. The style of an era, the way of life of certain social strata determines to a certain extent the pace and, in general, the dynamic characteristics of the behavior of representatives of this era and the corresponding social strata.

The dynamic features of behavior that come from the era, from social conditions, do not, of course, eliminate individual differences in the temperament of different people and do not abolish the significance of their organic characteristics. But, reflected in the psyche, in the consciousness of people, social moments themselves are included in their internal individual characteristics and enter into an internal relationship with all their other individual characteristics, including organic and functional. In the real way of life of a particular person, in the dynamic features of his individual behavior, the tone of his life activity and the regulation of these features, which comes from social conditions (the pace of social and industrial life, morals, everyday life, decency, etc.), form an indivisible unity of sometimes opposite , but always interconnected moments. Regulation of the dynamics of behavior, based on the social conditions of a person’s life and activity, can, of course, sometimes affect only external behavior, without yet affecting the personality itself, its temperament; at the same time, the internal characteristics of a person’s temperament may also be in conflict with the dynamic characteristics of the behavior that he outwardly adheres to. But, ultimately, the characteristics of behavior that a person adheres to for a long time cannot help but sooner or later leave their mark - although not mechanical, not mirror, and sometimes even compensatory-antagonistic - on the internal structure of the personality, on its temperament.

Thus, in all its manifestations, temperament is mediated and conditioned by the real conditions and specific content of a person’s life. Speaking about the conditions under which an actor’s temperament can be convincing, E. B. Vakhtangov wrote: “For this, the actor at rehearsals needs to mainly work so that everything that surrounds him in the play becomes his atmosphere, so that the tasks the roles have become his tasks - then the temperament will speak “from the essence.” This temperament is essentially the most valuable, because it is the only convincing and foolproof one.” Temperament “from the essence” is the only convincing one on stage because this is what temperament is in reality: the dynamics of mental processes is not something self-sufficient; it depends on the specific content of the personality, on the tasks that a person sets for himself, on his needs, interests, inclinations, character, on his “essence”, which is revealed in the variety of the most important relationships for him with others. Temperament is an empty abstraction outside the personality, which is formed while making its way in life.

Being a dynamic characteristic of all manifestations of personality, temperament in its qualitative properties of impressionability, emotional excitability and impulsiveness is at the same time the sensory basis of character.

Forming the basis of character properties, temperament properties, however, do not predetermine them. When involved in the development of character, the properties of temperament undergo changes, due to which the same initial properties can lead to different properties of character depending on what they are subordinated to - the behavior, beliefs, volitional and intellectual qualities of a person. Thus, on the basis of impulsiveness as a property of temperament, depending on the conditions of upbringing and the entire path of life, various volitional qualities can be developed in a person who has not learned to control his actions by thinking about their consequences; rashness, unrestraint, the habit of cutting from the shoulder can easily develop. act under the influence of passion; in other cases, on the basis of the same impulsiveness, determination will develop, the ability to move towards the goal without unnecessary delay or hesitation. Depending on a person’s life path, on the entire course of his socio-moral, intellectual and aesthetic development, impressionability as a property of temperament can in one case lead to significant vulnerability, painful vulnerability, hence to timidity and shyness; in another, on the basis of the same impressionability, greater spiritual sensitivity, responsiveness and aesthetic sensitivity can develop; in the third - sensitivity in the sense of sentimentality. The formation of character on the basis of temperamental properties is significantly related to the orientation of the individual.

So, temperament is a dynamic characteristic of personality in all its effective manifestations and the sensory basis of character. Transforming in the process of character formation, the properties of temperament turn into character traits, the content of which is inextricably linked with the orientation of the individual.

Influence of temperament

The dynamic characteristics of a person’s character—the style of his behavior—depend on temperament. Temperament is the “natural soil” on which the process of formation of individual character traits and the development of individual human abilities takes place.

People achieve the same success in different ways, replacing their “weaknesses” with a system of mental compensation.

Under the influence of life conditions, a choleric person may develop inertia, slowness, and lack of initiative, while a melancholic person may develop energy and determination. A person’s life experience and upbringing mask the manifestations of his temperament. But under unusual, super-strong influences, in dangerous situations, previously formed inhibitory reactions can be disinhibited. Choleric and melancholic people are more prone to a neuropsychic breakdown. Along with this, the scientific approach to understanding individual behavior is incompatible with strictly tying people’s actions to their natural characteristics.

Depending on the living conditions and activities of a person, certain properties of his temperament can be strengthened or weakened. Temperament, despite its natural conditioning, can be classified as a personality trait, since it combines the natural and socially acquired qualities of a person.

Foreign psychologists divide temperamental characteristics mainly into two groups - extraversion and introversion. These concepts, introduced by the Swiss psychologist C. G. Jung, mean that individuals are predominantly focused on the external (extrovert) or internal (introvert) world. Extroverts are distinguished by their predominant focus on the outside world, increased social adaptation, they are more conformist and suggestive (subject to suggestion). Introverts, on the other hand, attach the greatest importance to the phenomena of the inner world; they are uncommunicative, prone to increased introspection, have difficulty entering a new social environment, are nonconforming and suggestive.

Among the qualities of temperament, rigidity and plasticity also stand out. Rigidity - inertia, conservatism, difficulty switching mental activity. There are several types of rigidity: sensory - prolongation of sensation after the cessation of the stimulus; motor - difficulty in restructuring habitual movements; emotional - continuation of an emotional state after the cessation of emotional influence; memory - overservation, obsession with memory images; thinking - inertia of judgments, attitudes, methods of solving problems. The opposite quality to rigidity is plasticity, flexibility, mobility, adequacy.

The characteristics of temperament also include such a mental phenomenon as anxiety - tension, increased emotional excitability in situations interpreted by the individual as threatening. Individuals with a high level of anxiety are prone to behavior that is inappropriate to the degree of threat. An increased level of anxiety causes a desire to escape from the perception of threatening events, involuntarily narrowing the field of perception in a stressful situation.

So, a person’s temperament determines the dynamics of his behavior, the uniqueness of the course of his mental processes. Temperament determines a person’s way of seeing, experiencing events and relaying them verbally. When analyzing human behavior, one cannot help but take into account the “biological background” of human behavior, which affects the degree of intensity of individual personality traits.

A person’s temperamental characteristics act as psychophysiological capabilities of his behavior. For example, the mobility of nervous processes determines the dynamic qualities of intelligence, the flexibility of associative processes; excitability - the ease of occurrence and intensity of sensations, stability of attention, the power of imprinting memory images.

However, temperament is not a value criterion of an individual; it does not determine the needs, interests, and views of an individual. In the same type of activity, people with different temperaments can achieve outstanding success due to their compensatory capabilities.

It is not temperament, but the orientation of the individual, the predominance of higher motives over lower ones, self-control and self-control, suppression of lower-level impulses to achieve socially significant goals that determine the quality of human behavior.

Temperament structure

Temperament is a term derived from the Latin temperamentum (proper proportion of traits) and tempero (mix in proper proportion). To date, the problem of temperament has been studied in sufficient detail, and therefore in science there is a wide variety of definitions of this personality trait.

B.M. Teplov gave the following definition: “Temperament is a characteristic set of mental characteristics for a given person associated with emotional excitability, that is, the speed of the emergence of feelings, on the one hand, and their strength, on the other.”

Thus, it can be argued that temperament is a set of psychodynamic properties of the nervous system, the biological foundation on which personality is formed.

Since the psyche is a property of the nervous system, the individual properties of the psyche, including the properties of temperament, are determined by the individual properties of the nervous system. Therefore, the first main sign of the properties of temperament is their conditioning by the properties of the nervous system, which constitute the physiological basis of temperament. Moreover, only one type of temperament depends on each type of nervous system (with its specific properties).

The same dynamic features of mental activity depend on the relationship between emotional and volitional features. This ratio is the characteristic feature that has been the basis of the concept of temperament since the time of Hippocrates. Consequently, there are objective reasons to believe that the individual characteristics of the emotional-volitional sphere are properties of temperament. This, however, does not mean that all individual characteristics of the emotional-volitional sphere, and only them, are associated with temperament.

As a result of attempts at such an analysis, three main, leading, components of temperament were identified, relating to the areas of the individual’s general activity, his motor skills and his emotionality. Each of these components, in turn, has a very complex multidimensional structure and different forms of psychological manifestations.

The greatest importance in the structure of temperament is the general mental activity of the individual. The essence of this component lies in the individual’s tendency to self-expression, effective mastery and transformation of external reality.

In terms of content, the second component is especially closely related to the first component of temperament - motor, or motor, in which the leading role is played by qualities associated with the function of the motor (and especially the speech-motor) apparatus. Among the dynamic qualities of the motor component, one should highlight such as speed, strength, sharpness, rhythm, amplitude and a number of other signs of muscle movement (some of them characterize speech motor skills).

The third main component of temperament is emotionality, which is a broad complex of properties that characterize the peculiarities of the emergence, course and cessation of various feelings, affects and moods. Compared to other components of temperament, this component is the most complex and has a branched structure of its own. The main characteristics of emotionality are impressionability, impulsiveness and emotional stability.

Impressiveness expresses the subject’s sensitivity to emotionally significant influences.

Impulsivity refers to the speed with which an emotion prompts action without prior thought or conscious planning. Emotional lability usually refers to the speed at which one experience changes to another.

The main components of temperament form a single structure in human behavior, which makes it possible to limit temperament from other mental formations of the personality - its orientation, character, abilities, etc.

Manifestation of temperament

The differences between people in temperament are manifested in their activities. To achieve success in it, it is important that a person controls his temperament, knows how to adapt it to the conditions and requirements of his activity, relying on his strong properties and compensating for his weak ones. This adaptation is expressed in an individual style of activity.

An individual style of activity is an expedient system of ways and techniques for performing activities that corresponds to the characteristics of temperament, ensuring the best results.

The formation of an individual style of activity is carried out in the process of training and education. In this case, the subject’s own interest is necessary.

Conditions for the formation of an individual style of activity:

1. determination of temperament with assessment of the severity of its psychological properties;
2. finding a set of strengths and weaknesses;
3. creating a positive attitude towards mastering your temperament;
4. an exercise in improving strong properties and possibly compensating for weak ones.

Temperament also matters for the choice of activity. Choleric people prefer emotional types (sports games, discussions, public speaking) and are reluctant to engage in monotonous work. Melancholic people willingly engage in individual activities.

It is known that during training sessions, sanguine people, when studying new material, quickly grasp the basics, perform new actions, although with errors, and do not like long and careful work when mastering and improving skills. Phlegmatic people will not perform new actions or exercises if something is unclear in the content or technique; they are prone to painstaking, lengthy work when mastering it.

For example, for athletes there are differences depending on temperament in pre-race conditions. Before the start, sanguine and phlegmatic people are predominantly in a state of combat readiness, choleric people are in a state of starting fever, and melancholic people are in a state of starting apathy. At competitions, sanguine and phlegmatic people show stable results and even better results than in training; for choleric and melancholic people they are not stable enough.

In the same differentiated manner, in particular taking into account the strength and balance of the students’ nervous system, it is necessary to approach the use of various forms of pedagogical influences - praise, blame. Praise has a positive impact on the process of skill formation in all students, but the greatest impact on “weak” and “unbalanced” students. Blame is most effective on the “strong” and “balanced”, least effective on the “weak” and “unbalanced”. The expectation of being graded for completing tasks has a positive effect on the “weak” and “balanced”, but is less significant for the “strong” and “unbalanced”.

Thus, temperament, being dependent on the innate properties of the nervous system, manifests itself in a person’s individual style of activity, so it is important to take into account its characteristics when training and upbringing.

Taking into account the characteristics of temperament is necessary when solving mainly two important pedagogical problems: when choosing methodological teaching tactics and the style of communication with students. In the first case, you need to help a sanguine person to see sources of diversity and creative elements in monotonous work, a choleric person to instill the skills of special careful self-control, a phlegmatic person to purposefully develop the skills of quickly switching attention, a melancholic person to overcome fear and self-doubt. Taking into account temperament is necessary when choosing a style of communication with students. Thus, with choleric and melancholic people, such methods of influence as individual conversation and indirect types of demands (advice, hint, etc.) are preferable. Reproach in front of the class will cause a conflict explosion in a choleric person, and a reaction of resentment, depression, and self-doubt in a melancholic person. When dealing with a phlegmatic person, it is inappropriate to insist on immediate fulfillment of the requirement; it is necessary to give time to the student’s own decision to mature. A sanguine person will easily and gladly accept a remark in the form of a joke.

Temperament is the natural basis for the manifestation of psychological qualities of an individual. However, with any temperament, it is possible to develop in a person qualities that are not characteristic of this temperament. Self-education is of particular importance here. In a letter to O.L. Knipper-Chekhova, A.P. Chekhov wrote: “You... envy my character. I must say that by nature I have a harsh character, I’m quick-tempered, etc., etc., but I’m used to controlling myself, because it’s not appropriate for a decent person to let himself go.”

Temperament characterizes the human body from the point of view of the characteristics of the course and intensity of nervous processes, metabolism, as well as body type. That is, it is quite possible, based only on external signs, to determine what type of temperament he belongs to and what behavior is characteristic of him.

Temperament types

Currently under type of temperament implies a certain set of psychological properties that are naturally interconnected - they are common to one group of people.

Today, psychologists distinguish four types of temperament, which describe in detail a person’s behavioral preferences, and they are characterized by the following basic properties:

• Sensitivity - reveals the least strength of external influences necessary for the occurrence of a mental reaction and the speed of this reaction;
• Reactivity is the degree of involuntary reactions to external or internal influences of equal strength;

• Activity is the degree to which a person influences the outside world and overcomes obstacles in achieving a goal;
• The ratio of reactivity and activity is what human activity largely depends on: on random external and internal circumstances;
• Reaction rate - the speed of various mental reactions and processes

After completing the characteristics, you can determine which of the four types of temperament the individual belongs to.

Melancholic

Who are melancholic people? These are very subtle and sensitive natures, often such people have creative abilities. Their inner world is very complex and incredibly diverse, so they often prefer loneliness to the company of friends and acquaintances, which indicates their social passivity.

Melancholic people are very modest and shy; the self-esteem of such people is rather low and does not correspond to reality, and all because of their excessive passion for introspection. To achieve success and cope with difficulties, melancholic people need to constantly assert themselves and raise their self-esteem. They depend on mood swings, so the support of loved ones is very important.

You won't find a better friend than a melancholic person. He is a devoted and reliable friend, he knows the value of his word. If he fails to keep his promise, he sincerely worries, even when circumstances are beyond his control.

Among the famous people who were melancholic were Nikolai Gumilyov, Sergei Yesenin, Elvis Presley, Nikolai I.

Melancholic people get tired easily, they simply need breaks from work, the slightest difficulties and external stimuli can distract their attention. In general, these are people who are not suitable for leadership positions; they perform much better when subordinate.

Phlegmatic person

Those who need peace of mind are phlegmatic people. Their emotional background is calm, like the surface of water in calm weather. It is very difficult to get them out of their usual emotional balance, but if this happens, then stopping the raging phlegmatic person is not so easy. However, often excessive calm deprives them of the opportunity to express strong emotions, such as joy or any other emotional upheaval.

Phlegmatic people are reasonable, attentive, consistent and do not like to rush things; they prefer to do work in a certain sequence. They are not able to focus their attention on several things at once, considering it more rational to complete one task, but do it well.

Because of their love for everything permanent and stable, phlegmatic people do not have a very wide circle of friends, limiting themselves to only the closest, most reliable and trusted friends. But they are quite capable of getting along with the people around them, due to their peacefulness and balance, therefore they are quite capable of adapting to new people, although with difficulty. Such properties of phlegmatic people can contribute to rapid advancement on the career ladder.

Among the famous people who were phlegmatic were: M. I. Kutuzov, I. A. Krylov.

Sanguine

Sanguine people are very active and energetic people with a light, sparkling disposition. These are easily excitable individuals who can incredibly quickly get excited about an idea, but sanguine people can lose any interest so quickly. The ability to adapt to circumstances is determined by the flexibility of their nervous system, this often helps to avoid various difficult situations.

The soul of the company is definitely about people belonging to the sanguine type. Due to their natural craving for communication and general attention, they have well-developed speech and love to speak in public, which makes them excellent speakers and organizers. A sanguine person is characterized by such qualities as kindness, friendliness, sensitivity, he can even be a workaholic.

But in addition to positive qualities, there are also those that can significantly spoil the reputation of such a person, for example, carelessness, superficiality, irresponsibility. They can easily promise mountains of gold, but never keep their word.

However, it is sanguine people who are least susceptible to depression. They are able to enjoy the pleasures of life much better than other types of people, which means they are happier. Indeed, thanks to their incredible ability to easily make new acquaintances, sanguine people have a huge number of friends and acquaintances, so they definitely have no time to be bored and sad!

Famous sanguine people: M. Yu. Lermontov, Winnie the Pooh, W. A. ​​Mozart.

Choleric

By nature, choleric people are easily excitable and very temperamental people. In some ways they even resemble the ardent Spaniards, for whom expressing violent emotions is far from the last place. Cholerics are incredibly impulsive people for whom hot temper, uncontrollability and aggressiveness are the most characteristic traits.

Cholerics can be distinguished from all types as the owners of the highest self-esteem. They are leaders by nature, accustomed to being in the center of everyone's attention. Showing someone your weakness is simply unacceptable for choleric people; it can greatly hurt their self-esteem and pride.

Choleric people are able to easily find a common language with others, but they cannot boast of a large number of friends. In communication, they prefer to take a dominant leadership position; at any opportunity, they are ready to compete, because they see rivals in everyone who surrounds them.

In love, people of this temperament will again strive for dominance. Choleric people become attached to and value those they love, but this does not prevent them from demonstrating frequent outbursts of anger and jealousy. In a fit of anger and irritation, they are able to break off relationships a huge number of times, and after letting off steam, everything returns to normal again.

It is better to try to avoid arguments with choleric people in order to save your own nerves, because they will not have peace until you give up and capitulate. But as soon as the choleric person realizes that he has won, he immediately calms down.

Important persons were choleric people: A. V. Suvorov, Peter I, A. S. Pushkin.

Afterword

To all of the above, it is necessary to add the following: representatives of temperament types that are absolutely identical to the descriptions in life cannot be found very often. For the most part, people combine several types at once, that is, they are representatives of adjacent or mixed types. So don’t be upset if you couldn’t try on a complete description of any temperament. In addition, a person is quite capable of cultivating the necessary qualities; this requires only patience and considerable willpower.

An example of self-education is Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, who appears before us in the image of a completely calm and balanced person. However, from his correspondence with his wife, you can find out something interesting, for example, Anton Pavlovich made a confession: “You write that you envy my character. I must tell you that by nature I am sharp, I am quick-tempered, and so on. But I am used to restraining myself, because it is not proper for a decent person to let himself go. In the past, I did the devil knows what.”

04.05.2018

Temperament - statistics

Many people who have at least once taken psychological tests have heard about temperament and have a rough idea of ​​what it is. Someone can even name a couple of types or some author of a temperament test.

There is an opinion that “pure” temperaments do not exist, or that they are extremely rare. You can try to find this kind of articles in search engines - there are quite a few of them. True, such statements are often not supported by anything, or are simply outdated - the world and society do not stand still, but are constantly changing and developing. So let's try to figure this out.

First, let's define what we consider a “pure” temperament. Let’s take the “Belov’s temperament formula” technique for this. Each of the four temperaments has 3 gradations of severity: minor, pronounced qualities, significant, pronounced. Accordingly, we will assume that if the qualities of one of the temperaments are clearly expressed, and at the same time the qualities of the others are insignificant, then we are dealing with a “pure” temperament.

Facts and myths debunked

Is pure temperament a rare phenomenon?

20,207 people were surveyed, of which 10,780 (53.3%) were found to have mixed temperaments. Is this enough to say that “pure” temperaments are a rare phenomenon? - NO!

Who is there more?

Many people believe that most people are sanguine, basing this on “personal experience.” We look at the diagram - and this is not so! Relative to other “pure” temperaments, the majority are melancholic, and the minority are choleric.

Bright combinations

If a person has all temperaments expressed to approximately equal degrees, this is one thing, but if two of any temperaments are clearly expressed, while the others are weakly expressed, interesting combinations arise. For example, a sanguine person + a choleric person are both active and sociable, only the first is balanced, and the second is not. Moreover, such people make up 10.4%.

Combinations of opposites

Or the combinations “melancholic + sanguine”, “phlegmatic + choleric” - how can two opposites coexist in one person? And such people total 1.2%.

As you can see, “pure” temperaments are not so rare - 46.7% of the entire rather large sample. What is your dominant temperament?

Incredible facts

Temperament type largely determines who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

The idea of ​​the existence of 4 temperaments: choleric, melancholic, sanguine and phlegmatic was invented 2000 years ago by Hippocrates. He argued that differences in personality were related to the fluid that predominated in the human body.

Choleric – yellow liver bile

Sanguine – heart blood

Melancholic – black bile of the kidneys

Phlegmatic - phlegm of the lungs

Thus, the predominance of one of the liquids made a person energetic and optimistic (sanguine), silent and sad (melancholic), passionate (choleric) or calm (phlegmatic).

Temperament and character

Temperament should not be confused with a person's personality. Personality is a combination of many human factors, while temperament is only one factor, albeit a very important one.

It is a need that motivates us to behave according to our natural innate tendencies. If it is not satisfied, the person will not feel good or function effectively.

Again, for example, let's take the temperament of a sanguine person. Being in the company of people and communication are its needs. If such a person does not communicate regularly and is not around people, he begins to worry and suffer from low self-esteem.

Each type of temperament has its own needs: a choleric person needs quick results, a sanguine person needs to be in the company of people, a phlegmatic person needs a stable environment, and a melancholic person needs a detailed plan.

Temperament type test

There are several tests to determine a person's temperament type. Since the pure type of temperament is quite rare, this test will help you determine which type of temperament you have predominates and which are secondary.

For this test you will need a piece of paper and a pen. The test consists of 20 questions with four answer options. Write the numbers of the questions from 1 to 20, and choose one of the most suitable answer options ( a B C or G). Once you have answered all the questions, count the total number of letters.

Choose one statement that suits you best.

A) I am fussy and restless

B) I am cheerful and cheerful

C) I am cool and calm

D) I am shy and shy

A) I am hot-tempered and uncontrollable

B) I am businesslike and energetic

C) I am thorough and consistent

D) I get lost in a new environment

A) I am straightforward and harsh towards other people

B) I tend to overestimate myself

C) I can wait

D) I doubt my abilities

A) I am not vindictive

B) if something stops interesting me, I quickly cool down

C) I strictly adhere to a system in my work and daily routine

D) I involuntarily adapt to the character of the interlocutor

A) my movements are jerky and abrupt

B) I fall asleep and wake up quickly

C) it’s hard for me to adapt to a new environment

D) I am timid and inactive

A) I am intolerant of the shortcomings of others

B) I am efficient and hardy

C) I am constant in my interests

D) I am easily wounded and sensitive

A) I'm impatient

B) I quit what I started

C) I am reasonable and careful

D) I find it difficult to establish contact with new people

A) my facial expressions are expressive

B) I speak quickly, loudly and clearly

C) I’m slow to get back to work

D) I am easily offended

A) I have fast, passionate speech

B) I quickly get involved in a new job

C) I easily control impulses

D) I am very impressionable

A) I work in spurts

B) I take on any new business with passion

C) I don’t waste my energy

D) I have quiet, weak speech

A) I am characterized by disorganization

B) I am persistent in achieving my goals

C) I am lethargic and inactive

D) I seek the sympathy of others

A) I quickly decide and act

B) in difficult situations I maintain my composure

C) I have an even relationship with everyone

D) I'm not sociable

A) I am proactive and decisive

B) I quickly grasp new things

C) I don’t like to chat in vain, I’m silent

D) I can easily tolerate loneliness

A) I strive for something new

B) I am always in a cheerful mood

B) I like neatness

D) I am timid and inactive

A) I'm stubborn

B) I am not constant in interests and inclinations

C) I have calm, even speech with stops

D) when I fail, I feel confused and depressed.

A) I have a tendency to get hot

B) monotonous painstaking work weighs me down

C) I am little susceptible to blame and approval

D) I have high demands on others and myself

A) I am a risk taker

B) I easily adapt to different circumstances

C) I finish what I started

D) I get tired quickly

A) I am characterized by sudden mood swings

B) I tend to get distracted

C) I have self-control

D) I am too sensitive to blame and approval

A) I can be aggressive, a bully

B) I am responsive and sociable

B) I am kind

D) I am suspicious and suspicious

A) I am resourceful in an argument

B) I easily cope with failures

C) I am patient and reserved

D) I tend to withdraw into myself

Result:

Now count the number of answers "a", "b", "c" and "d".

Multiply each number obtained by 5 to get a percentage.

For example, you got 7 answers “a”, 10 answers “b”, 2 answers “c” and 1 answer “d”.

"a"= 7*5=35%

"b"=10*5=50%

"v"=2*5=10%

"g"=1*5=5%

The answers correspond to the following types of temperament:

"a" – choleric

"b" – sanguine

"v" – phlegmatic

"g" – melancholic

Thus, in the example we got that a person has a dominant sanguine temperament type ("b" = 50%), the secondary temperament type is choleric ("a" = 35%), and then in descending order is phlegmatic ("c" = 10 %) and melancholic ("g"=5%)

40% or more, this type of temperament is dominant in you.

If a certain type of temperament has gainedfrom 30 to 39%, this type of temperament is pronounced in you.

If a certain type of temperament has gainedfrom 20 to 29%, this type of temperament is moderate .

If a certain type of temperament has gainedfrom 10 to 19%, this type of temperament is weakly expressed in you .

Short temperament test

There is another quick way to determine temperament. It is based on the ancient Greek teaching about what fluid predominates in the human body.

So, answer all 2 questions:

1. Your hands and feet at normal temperature are usually:

A) warm

B) cold

2. Under normal conditions, your skin will usually:

B) wet

D) dry

Result:

AB – sanguine

AG - choleric

BV - phlegmatic

BG – melancholic

Temperament type Sanguine

Sanguine - very sociable person who likes to be around people. Of all the temperaments, the sanguine person is the easiest to communicate with. They bring energy and breathe life into any company with their mere presence. Their cheerfulness and humor illuminate everything around them.

They are an optimistic type of person who believes that life is a wonderful, fun-filled experience and should be lived to the fullest.

Inactivity causes them stress, as they live in a fast and active rhythm. This is the most impulsive of all temperaments.

The sanguine person achieves great success in matters related to connections and communication, but is the least disciplined and organized type of all temperaments.

He is open, very enthusiastic, friendly, and very understanding of other people's feelings, but can be rude and inconsiderate.

It is difficult to call a sanguine person a devoted friend, since he does not like to commit himself to obligations, but simply wants to have fun. They live as if they have neither a past nor a future. They rarely admit their mistakes, but tend to exaggerate in order to look more successful in the eyes of others.

Since this type of temperament loves pleasure many sanguine people are prone to various kinds of addictions, as well as overeating.

A person with this type of temperament is willing to take on difficult tasks and will complete a task or project while his ego is fueled. However, at the slightest hint of their shortcomings, they quit.

They get upset easily if they are not appreciated and not reassured of love. They are very demanding in terms of love and affection, suffering from feelings of jealousy if the attention that belongs to them goes to someone else.

Characteristics of a sanguine person

Strengths:

Attractive personality

Talkative, good storyteller

Sole of company

Good sense of humour

Good memory for colors

Emotional and convincing

Enthusiastic and expressive

• Curious

  Lives in the moment

  Changeable mood

  Childlike

Weak sides:

Talkative

Tends to exaggerate

Surface

Doesn't remember names

May be intimidating to others

Too carefree

Restless

Selfish

• Talks loudly and laughs

  Allowing circumstances to control you

  Gets angry easily

  Growing up is hard

Sanguine at work

Takes the initiative at work

Invents new activities

Looks great

Creative and bright

Full of energy and enthusiasm

Inspires others

Captivates many

In the field of: marketing, travel, fashion, cooking, sports, entertainment

Sanguine friend:

Makes friends easily

Loves people

Thrives from compliments

Inspiring

Many people envy him

Doesn't hold a grudge

Apologizes quickly

Doesn't let others get bored

Sanguine child, teenager, adult

Infant

Pros: energetic and inquisitive, funny and sweet, walks a lot and makes various sounds, shows off, reacts vividly to people.

Minuses: screams for attention, knows about his irresistibility, constantly needs company, often gets into trouble, self-centered.

Child

Pros: Charming personality, bold and energetic, looks innocent, cheerful and enthusiastic, loves to have fun, gets going easily, enjoys the company of people.

Minuses: does not complete things, disorganized, easily distracted, quickly loses interest, emotional ups and downs, demands recognition, forgetful and restless, tends to exaggerate.

Teenager

Pros: knows how to charm others, daring, popular, life of the party, inventive and bright, knows how to please, quickly apologizes.

Minuses: prone to deception, makes excuses, easily distracted, needs attention and approval, prone to cheating, finds school boring, immature, doesn't know how to handle money.

Adult

Emotional Needs: attention from other people, touch, approval of one’s actions, acceptance

Cause of depression: life has become boring, no hope for the future, feels unloved

How to get rid of stress : go shopping, have fun with friends, delicious food.

Energy level: receives a boost of energy from other people, frantic pace of life, periods of fatigue

Temperament type Choleric

This type of temperament is considered the most powerful and destructive of all. It is not an exaggeration to say that the world's most formidable dictators and criminals belonged to the choleric temperament. However, when they use their power for good, they are capable of becoming excellent leaders.

Cholerics are incredible resilient and unyielding. If they decide on something, they do not change their opinion, even if it is wrong.

Choleric people rarely listen to the advice of others. They want to have complete control over themselves and those around them. They are of the opinion that they know what is best and what is acceptable behavior for others.

They have serious anger management problems. Choleric people rarely express emotions such as love, tenderness, friendliness and empathy, but this can be compensated by a secondary type of temperament. In addition, on the part of other people, they consider these emotions inappropriate and useless.

Cholerics believe that no one can complete a task better than them. They tend to become overtired and can become nervous.. To achieve their goal, they are ready to do anything.

Unlike melancholic people, who see the shortcomings of a project before taking any action, choleric people do not see any pitfalls. The choleric will move regardless of the cost that is required, because for him the end justifies the means.
Cholerics are self-centered and often do not take into account the needs of others.

They are perfectionists, and they consider even their shortcomings to be flawless. It is difficult for them to admit that they are wrong.

Characteristics of a choleric person

Strengths:

Born leaders

Dynamic and active

Strong need for change

Strong-willed and decisive

Non-emotional

They're hard to break

Independent and self-sufficient

Exude self-confidence

They take on any task

Weak sides:

They like to command

Impatient

Hot-tempered

Can't relax

Too impulsive

They like to argue

Don't give up even when you lose

Lack of flexibility

Unfriendly

They do not like displays of sentimentality and emotion.

Unresponsive

Choleric at work

Purposeful

Sees the big picture

Organizes well

Looking for a practical solution

Moves quickly to action

Distributes tasks

Insists on his own

Sets goals

Stimulates activity

Likes to argue

Most suitable professions in the field of: management, technology, statistics, engineering, programming, business

Choleric friend:

Doesn't need a large circle of friends

Will lead and organize

Always right

Copes well with unexpected situations

Choleric child, teenager, adult

Infant

Pros: decisive look, fearless, energetic, sociable, fast development

Minuses: demanding, loud and noisy, throws things, sleeps poorly

Child

Pros: natural leader, courageous and energetic, productive, goal-oriented, fast-moving, self-sufficient, competitive, self-confident

Minuses: controls parents, tends to manipulate, is capricious, restless, insists on his own, likes to argue, stubborn, disobedient.

Teenager

Pros: aggressive, competent, quickly organizes any business, takes leadership, solves problems, self-confident, stimulates others, knows how to act in a critical situation, good potential, responsible.

Minuses: likes to command, controls his friends, believes that he knows everything, tends to look down on, becomes unpopular at times, decides for others, can offend, does not like to repent, blames others.

Adult

Emotional needs: devotion of the crowd, sense of power, appreciation, gratitude for one's actions

Cause of depression: life out of control, problems with money, work, spouse, children or health

How to get rid of stress: work more, engage in physical activity, avoid difficult situations

Energy level: excess energy, needs to reboot

Temperament type Phlegmatic

To the observer it seems phlegmatic slow and stubborn. People of phlegmatic temperament move through life slowly, slowly, spending as little energy as possible.

It is difficult to say whether phlegmatic people really lack energy, or whether they simply refuse to use it.

They are problem-oriented and very efficient if the work requires precision, thoroughness and a minimum of energy.

Perhaps the world will never know those brilliant thoughts, great books and works of art that were consigned to oblivion by the phlegmatic. They rarely use their ideas and talents, since bringing them to life requires a lot of effort.

The phlegmatic sits and watches as representatives of other temperament types make mistakes and notes what needs to be changed in this world in order for everything to be right. They are excellent at detecting cases of any injustice, but very rarely take any action against this injustice. They can inspire others to take action, but they themselves will not personally participate in this.

A phlegmatic person is the only type of temperament that a choleric person cannot control (which makes the choleric person terribly angry).

This is the most stable temperament. He can also be called the most stubborn when it comes to change. Since he tends not to interfere in other people's affairs, he can be a good mediator and diplomat. Peace at any cost is the motto of a phlegmatic person.

A phlegmatic person is not afraid of being rejected and can easily cope with a cold and hostile person. They are calm, carefree, and not subject to outbursts of emotion, anger, or feelings of bitterness, like other types of temperaments. Their restraint and coldness can sometimes hurt loved ones.

Characteristics of a phlegmatic person

Strengths:

Balanced

Flexible and calm

Assembled

Patient

Tends to be constant

Silent but witty

Friendly and kind

Tends to hide his emotions

Easily comes to terms with his fate

Universal man

Weak sides:

Lack of enthusiasm

Fearful and anxious

Indecisive

Avoids responsibility

Weak will

Selfish

Too shy and secretive

Compromises too often

Complacent

Phlegmatic at work:

Competent and constant

Peace-loving and executive

Possesses administrative skills

Serves as a mediator when problems arise

Avoids conflicts

Capable of working under pressure

Finds easy ways

Most suitable professions in the field of: medicine, education, psychology and psychotherapy, child development, social service

Phlegmatic friend

He's easy to get along with

Pleasant to talk to

Harmless

Good listener

Dry sense of humor

Likes to watch people

Capable of compassion

Phlegmatic child, teenager, adult

Infant

Pros: good-natured, unpretentious, joyful, easily adaptable

Minuses: slow, modest and aloof, indifferent, unresponsive

Child

Pros: observes others, easy to cheer, does not cause problems, stable, pleasant, calm

Minuses: selfish, indecisive, avoids work, fearful, a little stubborn, lazy and sleepy, watches a lot of TV.

Teenager

Pros: pleasant personality, witty, good listener, can be a mediator in solving problems, can lead if pushed, serious attitude

Minuses: indecisive, unenthusiastic, compromises too often, lacks motivation, sarcastic, remains aloof, procrastinates.

Adult

Emotional needs: peace and tranquility, sense of importance, lack of stress, respect

Cause of depression: chaos in life, many problems, pressure from outside

How to cope with stress : organize your life, turn off the TV, eat and sleep regularly

Energy level: Lowest energy level, needs rest, feels drained around people

Temperament type: Melancholic

Melancholic people have very sensitive, emotional nature, and feelings sometimes take over them. Emotions can lift their mood to unprecedented heights, and the rest of the time they remain in a depressed and gloomy state. However, a secondary temperament often balances out this trait.

Melancholic people need to learn to convey their emotions, as they try to protect and protect themselves emotionally. They often demonstrate their love through loyalty and responsibility towards the other person.

If a melancholic person makes full use of his strengths, he is capable of great and wonderful achievements. When they give in to their weaknesses, they are prone to self-destructive behavior.

A pure melancholic person is an introvert and a loner. Melancholic people are goal-oriented, they are perfectionists and often set the bar too high for themselves and the people around them.

They can be called very loyal to their friends and family. If a melancholic person makes a promise, he will keep it. These are creative people, but prone to deep depression. They can also be called secretive and quite serious.

They are independent, do not respond to promises and rewards, or to the threat of punishment. They are rarely satisfied with the result because they feel they can do it better. They have a realistic view of what is happening. Melancholic people know their limits and rarely take on more than they can handle.

Melancholic temperament most focused on himself. Due to their sensitive nature, they are easily offended or insulted. They may be suspicious and come to unfounded conclusions. They are prone to introspection to such an extent that it can lead to inactivity and low energy, as well as other problems.

A melancholic person may be calm and quiet on the outside, but feel angry or deeply resentful on the inside. They keep these feelings to themselves until they build up and one day explode.

Characteristics of a melancholic person

Strengths:

Deep and thoughtful

Analytic mind

Serious and focused

Gifted

Talented and creative

Artistic and musical

Ability for philosophy or poetry

Connoisseur of beauty

Sensitive to others

Selfless

Conscientious

Idealist

Weak sides:

Remembers negative moments

Tendency to mood swings and depression

Likes to be offended

Head in the clouds

Low self-esteem

Selectively listens

Concentrated on himself

Closed

Often feels guilty

Prone to persecution mania

Prone to hypochondria

Melancholic at work

Sticks to schedule

Perfectionist, sets high standards

Pays attention to details

Persistent and thorough

Organized

Careful

Economical

Sees problems

Finds non-standard solutions

Loves graphs and lists

Most suitable professions and in the fields of: research, arts, science, administration, social work

Melancholic friend

Makes friends with caution

Prefers to stay in the shadows

Tries not to attract attention to himself

Devoted and faithful

Ready to listen to complaints

Can solve other people's problems

Concerned about other people

Looking for the perfect partner

Melancholic child, teenager, adult

Infant

Pros: serious and quiet, well behaved, tries to please, loves routine

Minuses: does not like strangers, looks sad, can cry easily, is attached to parents

Child

Pros: thoughtful, talented, musical and artistic, loves to dream, good friend, perfectionist, deep, responsible.

Minuses: subject to mood swings, complains and fusses, lacks self-confidence, overly sensitive, focuses on the negative, withdraws into himself, sees problems, uncommunicative.

Teenager

Pros: good student, creative, loves to explore, organized and goal-oriented, sets high standards, conscientious, sensitive to others, pleasant personality

Minuses: strives too much for perfection, prone to depression and critical, inferiority complex, suspicious, low self-esteem, vindictive, needs encouragement

Adult

Emotional needs: sensitivity and understanding, support when feeling down, space to be alone, silence and the absence of other people

Cause of depression: life is imperfect, unbearable emotional pain, lack of understanding

How to cope with stress: distance yourself from people, read, start studying something, meditate, go to bed on time

Energy level: Average energy level, depleted in the presence of people, needs peace and quiet