Every person is unique and original from birth. All people behave differently, have their own character, their own emotions, experiences and views.
But at the same time, sociology distinguishes pronounced traits of certain personalities, which make it possible to divide people into four types of temperament - choleric, sanguine, melancholic and phlegmatic. How are these types different? And what is meant by temperament?
What is temperament?
Translated from Latin temperamentum means "proportionality" or "a certain ratio of individual parts" . Temperament is a stable combination of various characteristics and individual properties of a person, which largely depend on his innate qualities. In simple words, temperament is those qualities and character traits that were inherent in a person from birth.
It is believed that temperament manifests itself in the general level of activity of people, their mobility, motor skills, and expression of emotions. One person may be agile, receptive, have a fast pace of speech and a high speed of thinking, while another is lethargic, passive, slow and silent.
Such differences in the 18th century allowed sociologists to divide people into types, which were based on the long-standing teachings of Hippocrates about the psychological characteristics of the individual.
Who are choleric people?
Cholerics include people who have high mobility, impetuosity, and excessive emotionality. Such a person is passionate about any task and is able to overcome many difficulties. On the other hand, he is often unbalanced, subject to sudden mood swings, and sometimes quite aggressive. 
Looking at a choleric person, it seems that he manages to be in several places at once and do many things at the same time. He can instantly make any decisions and immediately implement them, but often his excessive aspirations give the impression of frivolity and lack of concentration.
Who are called sanguine people?
Sanguine people are considered everyone's favorite. They are always cheerful, cheerful, and talkative. These people are distinguished by great charm and amazing ease of communication. Thanks to such qualities, they have many friends and often occupy leadership positions. 
Among the positive aspects of sanguine people are sociability, openness,... They easily adapt to any life situations and have high performance. However, in unfavorable conditions, their high mobility and energy can result in hasty actions and lack of concentration.
Who is a phlegmatic person?
Phlegmatic people are calm, unhurried people who have stable aspirations and are stingy with emotions. Like sanguine people, they show increased persistence in work, but remain balanced and calm. 
The phlegmatic temperament can be described as calm and slow with little expression of emotion. People with this character find it difficult to switch from one activity to another and adapt to existing conditions, but even in emergency situations they show calmness and restraint.
Melancholic - who is it?
Melancholic people are characterized by such traits as slight vulnerability, deep emotions, external lethargy and poor reactions to others. Such people are considered the most vulnerable and are distinguished by their gentleness and humility. Friendship with a melancholic person can be a real challenge, since he is extremely touchy and gets upset over every little thing. 
He constantly feels like he is underestimated, unloved, or not given enough attention. At the same time, melancholic people have a significant amount of energy and are better able to listen and understand than others. Their timidity and shyness are combined with impeccable taste, romance and a sense of beauty.
Who is Choleric?! Who is Sanguine?! Who is Phlegmatic?! Who is Melancholic?!
Or more about temperaments
General concepts about temperament
Each person (individual) has his own characteristics of mental activity.
Temperament is a characteristic of a person, namely:
Temperament determines and ensures the speed, strength and balance of our reactions. It manifests itself in thinking, speech, and manner of communication.
At the same time, temperament does not affect interests, success, intelligence, business qualities - here we are able to independently develop our inclinations, turn them into abilities or forget about them.
The ability to make choices and take responsibility for them are indicators of a developed personality, and not manifestations of temperamental characteristics. Knowing your own type of temperament greatly simplifies the process of knowing yourself, accepting your manifestations and, as a result, choosing your own lifestyle.
Temperament human - a biological quality, innate, not acquired. Only 25% of 100% of temperament can be corrected. And this correction is our adjustment to the requirements of society (the world around us, society...). For what? For the purpose of a more efficient and successful existence.
Temperaments in their pure form are rare. Every person has something of choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic. The question of who is better to be does not make sense, just like the question of what time of year is better. Each has its pros and cons. You need to know them and act, choosing an effective model of behavior depending on the situation. That is, do not follow the lead of natural qualities, but develop them.
Features of temperament must be taken into account when choosing a profession, but temperament should not be confused with character.
All these are character traits that are not inherent in nature, but are formed throughout life.
Can be a person with any temperament. A person’s success does not depend on his temperament, but on the abilities, knowledge, skills and orientation of the individual.
Basic components of temperament
Analysis of the internal structure of temperament leads to the identification of three main, leading components. Each of these components has a complex multidimensional structure and different forms of psychological manifestations.
- The sphere of general mental activity of a person.
- the individual’s desire for self-expression, effective mastery and transformation of external reality;
- intellectual and characterological characteristics, a complex of relationships and motives
- In the motor (motor) component, the leading role is played by qualities associated with the function of the motor (and special speech-motor apparatus). Among the dynamic qualities of the motor component are:
- rapidity,
- strength,
- sharpness,
- rhythm,
- amplitude and
- a number of other signs of muscle movement.
- This is a large complex of properties and qualities that characterize the peculiarities of the emergence, course and cessation of various feelings, affects and moods.
- Impressionability- a person’s susceptibility, his sensitivity to emotional influences, his ability to find the basis for an emotional reaction where such soil does not exist for others.
- Impulsiveness- the speed with which emotion becomes the motivating force of actions and actions without prior thought and a conscious decision to carry them out.
- Emotional lability- the speed with which a given emotional state ceases or one experience changes to another.
This component is the most difficult. It has a branched structure of its own:
From the history of teachings about types of temperament
Observing how the teachings about temperament developed, one can understand what tools the researchers had.
Hippocrates (5th century BC) first spoke about temperaments. He argued that people differ in the ratio of the 4 main “juices” of life that make up it:
Claudius Galen (2nd century BC) continued. He developed the first typology of temperaments (treatise “De temperamentum”) According to his teaching, the type of temperament depends on the predominance of one of the juices in the body. They identified temperaments that are widely known today:
Let us dwell in more detail on the teachings of I.P. Pavlova.
I.P. Pavlov hypothesized that differences in behavior were based on some fundamental properties of nervous processes - excitation and inhibition. These properties include
reflects the performance of the nerve cell. It manifests itself in functional endurance, i.e. in the ability to withstand long-term or short-term, but strong excitation, without passing into the opposite state of inhibition
is understood as the functional performance of the nervous system during the implementation of inhibition. Manifests itself in the ability to form various inhibitory conditioned reactions, such as extinction and differentiation
balance of excitation and inhibition processes. The ratio of the strength of both processes decides whether a given individual is balanced or unbalanced, when the strength of one process exceeds the strength of the other
manifests itself in the speed of transition from one nervous process to another. The mobility of nervous processes is manifested in the ability to change behavior in accordance with changing living conditions. A measure of this property of the nervous system is the speed of transition from one action to another, from a passive state to an active one, and vice versa. The nervous system is the more inert, the more time or effort it takes to move from one process to another. I.P. Pavlov distinguished between the strength of excitation and the force of inhibition, considering them two independent properties of the nervous system.
The 4 types of nervous system identified by I.P. Pavlov correspond in their main characteristics to the 4 classical types of temperament:
I.P. Pavlov understood the type of nervous system as innate, relatively weakly susceptible to changes under the influence of environment and upbringing. According to Ivan Petrovich, the properties of the nervous system form the physiological basis of temperament, which is a mental manifestation of the type of nervous system
Two things to note:
A strong nervous system copes more successfully with some life tasks (for example, in work associated with large and unexpected loads).
A weak nervous system copes more successfully with others (for example, in monotonous work conditions). A weak nervous system is a highly sensitive nervous system, and this is its advantage over a strong one.
Hans Eysenck studied the works of C. Jung, R. Woodworth, I.P. Pavlov, E. Kretschmer and other famous psychologists, psychiatrists and physiologists. He proposed three basic dimensions of personality:
characterizes emotional stability/instability (stability/instability).
High scores on neuroticism are expressed in nervousness, instability, poor adaptation, a tendency to quickly change moods, strong reactions in relation to stimuli that cause them
Low scores on neuroticism are expressed in the preservation of organized behavior and situational focus in ordinary and stressful situations. Characterized by maturity, excellent adaptation, lack of great tension and anxiety.
an indicator of a tendency towards antisocial behavior, pretentiousness, inappropriate emotional reactions, high levels of conflict, and self-centeredness.
People with a high degree of psychoticism are self-centered, impulsive, indifferent to others, and tend to resist social norms. They are often restless, have difficulty communicating with people and do not receive their understanding, and deliberately cause trouble to others.
The result of a combination of high and low levels of introversion and extraversion with high or low levels of stability and neuroticism became the four categories of people described by Eysenck.
If the resulting table is superimposed on I.P. Pavlov’s typology, then we will get the already well-known quadrant of temperaments.
Characteristics of temperament types according to G. Eysenck
G. Eysenck gave characteristics of “pure” types of temperament (that is, in the extreme angular positions of the quadrant). And we already realized that such types are extremely rare. Make adjustments accordingly when you receive test results. Moreover, the closer one type of temperament is to another, the more characteristics overlap.
For example, if you got the result: neuroticism 13, extraversion 17, then you are a sanguine choleric. Then you have the characteristics of both choleric and sanguine people, but not as pronounced as pure Cholerics and Sanguines. In different conditions, in different situations, you can exhibit both characteristics.
I emphasize this because sometimes the respondent does not accept the result - “this is not about me.” Remember that the literature often provides characteristics of “pure” types of temperaments. 
Description of temperament types. Types of temperament according to G. Eysenck
Interesting results
A review of studies (Wilson, 1978) based on test performance predictions within Eysenck's theory provides an impressive amount of evidence. For example, extroverts are much more tolerant of pain than introverts; they pause more during work to chat and drink coffee than introverts; excitement increases the effectiveness of their actions and actions, while for introverts it only interferes.
Some other empirically established differences between extroverts and introverts are listed below.
And this is forever?!.. or a little neurobiology
Temperament a person is a biological, innate quality... Somehow I want to understand why? So let’s dive a little into neurobiology.Individual nerve cells, or neurons, do not perform their functions as isolated units, like liver or kidney cells. The job of the 50 billion or so neurons in our brain is that they receive signals from some other nerve cells and transmit them to others.
Transmitting And hosts cells are combined into nerve circuits or networks. The actual junctions - specific points on the surface of nerve cells where their contact occurs - are called synapses(synapsis; Greek “contact”, “connection”), and the process of transmitting information in these places is synoptic transmission.
Unlike most other cells in the body, mature neurons cannot divide, and genetically the conditioned products of any neuron must ensure the preservation and change of its functions throughout its life.
The ability of the nervous system and muscles to generate electrical potentials has been known for a long time - since the work of Galvani at the end of the 18th century.
We will not delve into the mechanism of signal transmission. To put it very simply, the signal transmission goes like this:
Please note that there are 2 types of synapses: excitatory and inhibitory (remember the teachings of I.P. Pavlov).
It is now clear that the strength of excitation/inhibition of nervous processes, their balance, mobility (that is, the type of temperament) depend on the genetic makeup of a person. And that this is given to a person for life.
Incredible facts
Each type of temperament loves in its own way.
If you ask different people about love, for each of them this definition will be different depending on their temperament.
What does love mean for different types of temperament, what are their needs, and how compatible are they with each other?
Characteristics of a sanguine person in love
Since this is the most adventurous type of temperament, sanguine people are most compatible with their own type of temperament. In a partner they are looking for a friend, someone who shares their interests, with whom they can talk and travel around the world.
Relationships are a kind of fun for them, they like to go on dates and do new things. We can say that a relationship with a sanguine person will be very interesting.
Their nature is extroverted and desire for diversity suggests that most sanguine people have quite a lot of experience in relationships, and they can adapt to almost any situation.
They are friendly and not inclined to control their partner, so you will feel comfortable and at ease in their company. Do not forget about the generosity of this type of temperament, which can bestow gifts on you from the very beginning of the relationship.
Sanguine people are good listeners and will ask you questions about themselves to satisfy their curiosity. During a conversation, they look straight into your eyes, touch your arm or leg, and listen to you carefully. It will not be difficult for them to move from one topic to another, but they will talk about themselves rather in a humorous manner.
Your secondary temperament type often plays an important role in how you express love.
Most sanguine people have a rather flexible attitude towards morality, but sanguine-phlegmatic, as a rule, has stable moral values, and he is looking for a partner with the same attitude. This type is more conservative when courting, loves to give flowers, shows up on dates on time, and also wants to clearly know his place in the relationship.
Sanguine-melancholic seeks harmony. They are sensitive to their partner's needs and generous. They will not choose a person who will compete with them in a relationship or disrupt their rhythm of life.
SanguineAndc-choleric- This is, as a rule, an unusual person. They have strong nerves and like to walk on the edge, making no excuses for their behavior and acting decisively. They need a partner who understands their need for independence. It is also worth noting that men and women of this type of temperament are the sexiest.
In general, sanguine people need time before committing themselves to a relationship, but once they do, they become interesting and passionate partners.
Sanguine love language:
Touch: holding hands, hugging and other forms of skin-to-skin contact
Present: It can be difficult for them to make a choice, so effort on your part will always be appreciated.
Full attention: Listen to them, smile, nod, don't try to silence them.
Delicious food: remember that sanguine people love sensual pleasures
Characteristics of a choleric person in love
For people of choleric temperament, building personal relationships is not entertainment, as it is for sanguine people. They treat love and relationships the same way they treat everything else: pragmatic and purposeful. They will meet and study a potential partner to see if he is a good fit for them.
They need someone with whom they can exchange ideas and talk about topics that interest them.
They are attracted to people who can listen, resolve conflicts or disagreements, or have other social skills.
Choleric people do not pursue quantity when it comes to relationships, and in their youth, as a rule, they have little experience in their personal life. Of all the temperament types, choleric people fall in love least often. Throughout their lives, they usually have only a few serious relationships.
If they are in a relationship, it is not easy for them to let go of their partner, even if he does not meet their expectations in some way.
They may act awkward and, if they are not interested or don't see a future with you, they may ignore you or become impatient. Because of their decisive nature, they are capable of breaking off relationships at an unexpected moment.
At the same time, if they believe that a person is worth their time and effort, they will be completely focused on him. They can be romantic and make commitments. They express love by trying to fulfill your desires. It is important for them to feel needed, you can tell them about your problems and difficulties, and they will try to fix them.
The secondary type of temperament can also affect how a choleric person expresses his love.
People with mixed temperaments choleric-sanguine self-sufficient, imaginative, adventurous and looking for a similar partner who will not compete with them.
Choleric-phlegmatic people aimed at success. In a relationship, they know what they want and will not settle for less. They have their own plans and are looking for someone who will help them achieve their goals. They can be difficult to understand, as they hide their true nature behind a mask of serenity and humor.
Choleric-melancholic- this is the most romantic type among choleric people. They love to give gifts and celebrate special dates. Devotion plays a very important role for them.
Choleric love language
Service: remember that a choleric person is a man of action, and he appreciates a partner who is not lazy, but works. If you wash their clothes, cook dinner, or be there when needed, they will appreciate it.
Loyalty and respect: The choleric person demands this, even if you don't want it. Just obey them and don't try to explain yourself.
Physical intimacy: a choleric person has a high libido, and it is difficult for him to live without physical intimacy.
Characteristics of a phlegmatic person in love
While many people are caught up in passion or emotion when they fall in love, phlegmatic love is more down to earth and pragmatic. They see their partner as an assistant, and base their preferences on common sense and compatibility.
Their lover must be predictable, adhere to traditions and be devoted to the family.
Phlegmatic people take relationships seriously. They are well-mannered, they are not late, the men are gallant, and the women are homely. They will always plan dates in advance, protect their loved ones and give gifts with meaning.
They do not like showdowns and can sometimes seem unromantic to other types of temperament. For this reason, they are most often attracted to their own type of temperament.
They do not choose their partners impulsively, but rather carefully, taking into account the opinions of friends and family, as they are afraid of criticism.
Intimacy with this type of person tends to develop very slowly. This is how a phlegmatic person can think through everything in advance so that the relationship develops as planned.
Additional temperament also influences how a phlegmatic person loves.
Phlegmatic-sanguine although he can be cautious, he still seeks a certain variety.
Phlegmatic-choleric can be inventive, goal-oriented, and willing to take you to new, unexpected places.
Phlegmatic-melancholic- He is a confident and good-natured person. He loves to bring people together and will most likely introduce you to his friends.
Phlegmatic people need marriage, they need a responsible partner who will respect traditions and is devoted to the family. When a phlegmatic person meets his soul mate, he takes full responsibility for his union.
Phlegmatic love language:
Time with family and friends: When you give them your attention, try not to be distracted by your phone or TV and maintain eye contact.
Words of encouragement: tell phlegmatic people more often how beautiful, smart they are, how you appreciate their love and care.
Touch: not necessarily sex, but hugs, the desire to hold their hand or even tickle them.
Characteristics of a melancholic person in love
Melancholic is the most sensitive of the four temperament types. In a potential partner, they look for common intellectual and emotional points of contact. It hurts them deeply if they are rejected.
They do not take relationships lightly and simply, like sanguine people. They meet to build a long-term relationship or get married. Having created an alliance, they give themselves completely and sometimes they get so tired emotionally that they stop dating altogether.
When a melancholic person finds his person, he tries to maintain a close relationship with his partner, avoids conflicts, and is ready to make concessions and sacrifices. Everything that happens within a relationship is carefully analyzed and weighed.
Melancholic is considered the most romantic type of temperament. They often fall in love, and romance comes first for them.
They plan romantic dates and weekends in advance, confess their feelings and hope for reciprocity.
Since melancholic people have a rich imagination, they tend to idealize their partners. As the relationship progresses, they discover that their ideal partner is not so perfect, and this can destroy their union.
As already mentioned, the secondary type of temperament plays a big role.
Melancholic-sanguine is looking for true love, but at the same time he likes fun and adventurous partners.
Melancholic-phlegmatic gets along well with different people, knows how to sympathize and has tact.
Melancholic-choleriTo also looking for an ideal partner, but can be tough and at the same time calculating.
In general, melancholic people value serious relationships. However, if they realize that their partner is not a suitable match for them, they may leave or go in search of true love.
Melancholic love language:
Tender words: They love affection and hugs when they are treated tenderly and caringly.
Assurances: although the melancholic person trusts you, from time to time he needs you to assure him of your love, promise never to offend him and to be there for him.
Calm: Never raise your voice to a melancholic person, or you will lose him emotionally.
Touch: a kiss on the forehead, on the cheek, gentle touches are of great importance for a melancholic person.
Temperament types: compatibility in love
Sanguine and choleric
Compatibility: neutral
In general, a sanguine person and a choleric person rarely find each other attractive, but if they do fall in love, their union can be very strong.
Their intellectual communication promises to be quite interesting. Both will look at each other with admiration: the sanguine person likes the rationality of the choleric person, and the choleric person likes the curiosity of the sanguine person.
However, it is worth remembering that both types of temperament need independence, both are self-sufficient and are always busy with something. On the other hand, no partner will be too demanding and jealous without reason.
However, a choleric person can be insensitive, and sometimes wants to insist on his own at any cost. Fortunately, sanguine people tend to easily adapt to various circumstances.
Although both types of temperament tend to compete, choleric people are more ambitious and aggressive, while sanguine people are calm and persistent only in their own interests.
Sanguine and phlegmatic
Compatibility: difficult relationships
Two completely opposite types of temperament often find themselves in relationships.
They are indeed different, but this does not prevent them from creating a successful union. If an impulsive and adventurous sanguine person decides that he wants to start a family, he will be attracted to a devoted and traditional phlegmatic person. In addition, any sanguine person can brighten up the life of an inert phlegmatic person. A calm and cautious phlegmatic person will be delighted by the energy, vitality and ability not to lose heart of his partner.
In turn, the phlegmatic person will push the sanguine person towards stable work, family and responsibility. Problems will arise when the latter neglects the rules of morality, ignores traditions and customs, while the sanguine person will be irritated by the phlegmatic person’s attempts to limit his freedom.
Despite all the differences, learning to use them to your advantage will help bring balance to your relationship. The phlegmatic person will take care of the home, family and future, while the sanguine person will take on the role of leader.
Sanguine and melancholic
Compatibility: good
This is a rather interesting pair of dissimilar temperament types.
Although there is often attraction between them, melancholic women are suspicious of sanguine men, fearing that a carefree sanguine man will hurt their feelings. This pair combines well the creative abilities of a sanguine person and the imagination of a melancholic person. Both are optimistic, flexible and open-minded.
A sanguine person will admire the trust and patience of a melancholic person. However, we should not forget about the sanguine person’s need for independence. A melancholic person will want real intimacy, which they may not get from a sanguine person, and as a result will feel lonely and abandoned.
In addition, the desire to analyze every step and action will drive a sanguine person crazy. On the other hand, a melancholic person will want to discuss feelings and emotions, while a sanguine person may not have such a desire, which is why he will seem superficial to the melancholic person.
Despite everything, this couple has qualities such as flexibility and optimism that will help them get through difficult times.
Sanguine and sanguine
Compatibility: neutral
Two sanguine people have many different interests, they strive for novelty and adventure. They love to learn, are energetic, courageous and flexible. Therefore, if two sanguine people get together, they will most likely do a lot together.
Such a couple is unlikely to quarrel over money, since they consider it only a means to make their dreams come true. Rather, everyone will try to surprise their partner with unusual gifts and surprises.
Also, this union will not be affected by everyday disagreements, since both know how to adapt, avoid rules and regimes and look for advantages in any business. Such features will help them survive even the most difficult times and situations.
However, despite the mutual attraction, they may encounter difficulties of a different kind. This type of temperament avoids serious discussions, which is why many problems remain unresolved. Over time, they may lose the feeling of closeness due to both of them needing independence. We should not forget about the sanguine person’s tendency to flirt, which can take them far from the cozy family nest.
Sanguine people are also prone to various kinds of addictions, which means they can reinforce each other’s bad habits. Adventure and risky behavior can also ruin relationships.
Despite this, a minor type of temperament can significantly smooth out these shortcomings, and the couple will be very happy in this interesting union.
Choleric and phlegmatic
Compatibility: good
A couple of choleric and phlegmatic people is a wonderful example of how completely different types of temperament can get along and find happiness together.
These opposites are attracted to each other from the first meeting, and in this pair the qualities of both complement each other.
The prudence of a phlegmatic person and the ability to solve problems of a choleric person will help them create a very strong team in any field. While the phlegmatic person will consider the problem from different angles, analyze and draw conclusions, the choleric person will become the engine of all changes.
They will also be able to complement each other in terms of social skills. Cholerics may sometimes lack the ability to empathize, while phlegmatic people have a developed sense of empathy. Both are able to admire each other's differences, which means they will always be interested.
The equanimity of a phlegmatic person calms a choleric person, and the latter will always be ready to take on the most difficult issues. If they both decide that they are ready to stick with the relationship, nothing will stop them.
Choleric and melancholic
Compatibility: difficult relationships I
Love at first sight rarely occurs between a choleric person and a melancholic person. Moreover, most often people of these types of temperament avoid each other’s company. Of course, among them there are many quite successful couples, but they rarely rely on compatibility of temperaments.
They can treat each other with respect, but the melancholic will be greatly offended by the rudeness of the choleric, and he, in turn, will get tired of the sensitivity of the melancholic.
Another stumbling block may be the different interests of the partners. While a choleric person pursues his own interests, a melancholic person may feel lonely and abandoned.
Despite all the differences, they can build a union if they decide to create a stable family life and correctly distribute responsibilities. If the choleric person takes care of the financial side of the issue, and the melancholic person mainly plans and takes care of most of the daily worries, they will be able to resolve many conflict situations.
Choleric and choleric
Compatibility: difficult relationships
A choleric man and woman rarely experience strong attraction or rejection of each other from the very beginning. However, there is a slight difference - a choleric man is slightly more supportive of a choleric woman than vice versa.
Cholerics are enterprising individuals, and they are looking for a partner who is quite competent and purposeful with common interests. These are straightforward people who say what they think and love to argue. On the other hand, if choleric people confess their love to their significant other, you won’t have to guess about their true feelings.
Both partners understand the need for independence and independence.
In this couple, choleric people will admire each other’s determination until disagreements arise between them. In case of quarrels and conflicts, both tend to be unyielding and pull the blanket over themselves.
Another problem may be that both are busy. If at the beginning of the novel each of them still pays attention to each other, then in a long-term relationship they no longer spend enough time together. Feelings of loneliness, as well as a desire for attention and passion, can make them look around in search of a new partner.
Phlegmatic and melancholic
Compatibility: neutral
A phlegmatic person and a melancholic person have some differences in their views on the world, but these differences can easily turn into advantages.
Melancholic people are rather inert and tend to put things off until later. They can get lost in their own conclusions, looking at problems from all sides, but never solving them. At the same time, a phlegmatic person takes everything very seriously and responsibly and always sets deadlines for common affairs.
On the other hand, the optimism and calmness of a phlegmatic person will have a calming effect on a melancholic person, who is prone to get nervous and worry about trifles.
Both partners strive for a strong and stable relationship. They are caring and attentive, although a melancholic person will be more sensitive to their partner's needs. They also like to make plans for the future together and take care of children.
A reserved phlegmatic person may feel uncomfortable in the company of a more emotional melancholic person. In turn, a melancholic person may feel unwanted and unloved by a seemingly indifferent phlegmatic person.
Despite these differences, they can be called a compatible couple who needs comfort and peace. If they learn to turn their weaknesses into strengths, they can create a strong union that will stand the test of time.
Phlegmatic and phlegmatic
Compatibility: good
As a rule, a phlegmatic man and a phlegmatic woman are naturally compatible. They are more likely to fall in love and get married and less likely to get divorced.
Phlegmatic people are attracted to their own type of temperament, since both are calm and patient, and understand each other perfectly without words.
People of this temperament type are traditional and loyal. The family comes first for them, and its safety and stability is a top priority. Both can close their eyes to some of each other's shortcomings in order to save the marriage. In addition, it is easier for them than other couples to remain faithful to each other.
With age, they may have disagreements, but mainly on everyday issues related to cooking or cleaning the house.
Melancholic and melancholic
Compatibility: good
Attraction between representatives of this type of temperament rarely arises from the first meeting. Although melancholic women are interested in melancholic men, the same cannot be said about the latter. However, they fall in love and are eventually able to create a happy union.
In this pair, both partners find comfort and tranquility. However, both have unrealistic ideas about love and relationships and search for the ideal partner, becoming disappointed in those who do not live up to their ideal.
Melancholic partners strive for a deep, lasting union. They will discuss their feelings, hopes and disappointments, and also easily read a loved one by facial expressions, intonation and subtle reactions.
However, they too may encounter some difficulties. One of them may be the indecisiveness of both. If problems arise, no one will be ready to discuss and solve them because of their dislike of quarrels and disagreements.
If at least one of them can overcome passivity, this union has every chance of a wonderful relationship.
Since ancient times, a connection between temperament and physiology has been observed. The father of medicine, Hippocrates, who lived in the 5th century BC, identified four types of temperament. In his opinion, they were determined by one or another liquid prevailing in the human body. For sanguine people it is blood, for choleric people it is bile, for phlegmatic people it is mucus, and for melancholic people it is black bile. That is, temperaments were viewed as exclusively physiological phenomena. What changes in their understanding have occurred since then? - This is what we will talk about.
What is temperament
Temperament - in psychology, is an individual characteristic of a person, which largely depends on his innate, psychophysiological qualities. Temperament is a strictly individual trait, based on mental activity, speed and intensity of psychophysiological processes.
There are three areas in which temperament manifests itself:
- The degree of human activity in a general sense.
- Differences in the area of movement.
- The degree of external expression of feelings.
General activity characterized by the intensity with which a person interacts with the natural or social environment. There are two extremes here: some people are too sluggish and passive, while others are very fast and active.
Motor activity (motility) is expressed in how fast and sharp the movements and speech are or, conversely, how slow they are and the person is silent.
Expression of feelings or emotionality, manifests itself in how quickly the emotional state changes, susceptibility to external influences, to the feelings of another person.
Types of temperament
At the beginning of the 18th century, the types of temperament described by Hippocrates were compared with four psychotypes, which served as the beginning of the psychological direction in the study of temperaments. Today, the simple ideas of ancient people are practically no different from those in the 18th century.
- The choleric type is defined as irritable.
- The sanguine type is associated with cheerfulness.
- The phlegmatic type is defined as calm.
- The melancholic type is associated with sadness and excessive impressionability.
In modern psychology, temperament is described as stable and established natural personality qualities that determine the speed of mental activity, regardless of its internal content.
Extroverts and introverts
The qualities of temperament include introversion and extraversion, the pace of reactions, rigidity (inflexibility) and plasticity.
Extraversion and introversion are qualities of temperament that were introduced as concepts by the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung.
- Extrovert focuses on its own manifestation in the surrounding world, that is, on external impressions that arose in a given period of time. These include choleric and sanguine.
- Introvert- on his inner world, psychological state, that is, the internal reality is more important for him than the external one. These are phlegmatic and melancholic.
Reaction speed, rigidity, plasticity
Reaction speed is a characteristic of the pace at which mental processes and the body’s response occur. These include quickness of mind, speech and gestures. The speed of reactions is high in people who are sanguine and choleric, as well as in melancholic people - if they are well rested. In melancholic people who are tired and phlegmatic people it is lowered.
Sometimes this causes problems in communication between people with different temperaments. People with quick reactions do not always notice that people who are more inhibited do not have the opportunity to follow the course of their thoughts. Because of this, they come to unfounded conclusions that the latter have low mental abilities. This can especially interfere with business relationships.
Rigidity and plasticity. The first quality indicates that a person has difficulty adapting to external influences, while the second, on the contrary, indicates good adaptation. Sanguine people have the highest plasticity. Rigidity is characteristic of melancholic, phlegmatic and choleric people.
Inactivity and activity
Inactivity is an indicator of an involuntary reaction to stimuli, both external and internal. It represents a defensive reaction to criticism, insult, or raised tone. Inactivity is characteristic of phlegmatic and melancholic people and rare for choleric and sanguine people.
Activity- this is the opposite of inactivity; it is a characteristic of a person’s ability to overcome obstacles and achieve goals.
Its expressions are:
- focus;
- persistence;
- high concentration of attention.
A phlegmatic person is highly active, but since he has low reactivity, his inclusion in work occurs slowly. A phlegmatic person does not overwork. Choleric exhibits high activity in combination with reactivity. Sanguine people are also quite active, but they may lose interest in monotonous activities. Melancholic people are characterized by low activity.
His activity largely depends on how activity and reactivity are correlated in a person. From random circumstances, external or internal (mood, unplanned, insignificant events) or from goal setting, strong desires, conviction in something.
Emotional excitability
It is a reflection of the line of minimal impact beyond which an emotional reaction occurs, as well as the speed of its development. Sanguine people, melancholic people and choleric people are characterized by increased excitability. In phlegmatic people it is reduced.
The characteristics of temperament inherent in an individual are determined by the unique combination of activity and the severity of emotional reactions to varying degrees. Activity is determined by how intensely a person interacts with the environment.
Today, the scientific community remains confident that the considered properties of human behavior are based on physiology. That is, they are determined by certain features in the functioning of physiological structures. But what kind of structures these are is not yet clear. However, it is indisputable that temperament is an innate property that serves as the basis for most personality traits, which include character. And the sensual basis of character is temperament.
Phlegmatic and melancholic
Phlegmatic person- this is a person who is unhurried, indifferent to many things, has a stable sense of purpose and mood, and outwardly shows his emotions with extreme restraint. In his work, he shows persistence and firmness while remaining calm and diligent.
Melancholic- This is a type of personality characterized by a vulnerable psyche; he experiences different events all the time. It is difficult for a person with such a temperament to keep his experiences inside; he is very impressionable and does not have sufficient willpower to cope with feelings.
Choleric and sanguine
Choleric- This is a sharp, fast and impetuous type, while he is extremely unbalanced, with lightning-fast changes in mood and emotional outbursts. A choleric person does not have balance in his nervous processes, which distinguishes him from a sanguine person. People with this temperament recklessly waste their emotional strength and become exhausted.
Sanguine- this is a lively, bright, very active person, with a high frequency of changes in mood and impressionability, with a high-speed reaction to any events occurring in the world around him. A sanguine person very easily comes to terms with any failures and problems. As a rule, he is distinguished by lively facial expressions and is successful in his activities. This happens when he is interested in a process that makes him very excited. If the work is not of particular interest to him, then the sanguine person becomes indifferent and begins to get bored.
Each type of temperament includes both positive and negative traits. A person can be protected from the excessive manifestation of negative properties inherent in nature by his upbringing and kind attitude towards other people.
Temperament of a sanguine person according to Pavlov
Physiologist Pavlov, in his description of the distinctive features of a sanguine person’s temperament, says that he is a productive worker, an enthusiast, but only when he has a lot of interesting things to do that cause constant excitement. In the absence of such things, he is lethargic and boring. A sanguine person easily adapts to changing life situations. He has a sociable character that allows him to communicate well with a large number of people. His feelings arise with ease and speed, replacing each other.
His stereotypes are not established, and conditioned reflexes are developed at high speed. In an unfamiliar environment, he does not feel constrained and can quickly switch attention and change types of activities. A sanguine person is stable in his feelings. People with this temperament are especially suitable for activities that require great effort, high speed of reactions, and distribution of attention between several objects.
Temperament of a choleric person
According to Pavlov, choleric is a militant person, being on the rise, he is prone to rapid irritability. When he gets carried away with something, he uses his strength to the maximum and ends up feeling very exhausted or even exhausted.
Choleric people are characterized by high emotional reactivity and motor sharpness. In an unfavorable situation, the increased level of excitability characteristic of people of choleric temperament can play a cruel joke on them. They can flare up over a trifle, becoming aggressive.
When a choleric person has the necessary motivation, he can overcome great difficulties by passionately devoting himself to his work. His mood changes dramatically. A choleric person achieves the greatest results in a situation in which high reactivity and immediate tension are required.
Phlegmatic temperament
A phlegmatic person always behaves evenly, calmly, he is a hard worker, persistent and persistent. This is how I. P. Pavlov described him. The reactions of a phlegmatic person are characterized by slowness and stability of mood. He expresses his feelings little, and in difficult situations he is calm and self-possessed. There are no impulsive and impetuous movements, since in his nervous system excitation is balanced by inhibition.
A phlegmatic person has the ability to correctly calculate forces, is persistent and gets things done to the end. It is not easy for him to switch attention and switch to another type of activity. He has stable stereotypes, and his behavior is not flexible. A person with a phlegmatic temperament can be successful in those areas of activity in which it is necessary to distribute forces evenly, have perseverance, great patience, and the ability to concentrate.
Melancholic temperament
According to Pavlov, the melancholic temperament is a type of nervous system that is inhibitory. A melancholic person does not trust anyone, does not have any hopes, sees the bad and dangerous in everything. He is distinguished by increased vulnerability and a tendency to experience strong emotions, sometimes out of nowhere. His feelings quickly manifest themselves, he cannot restrain them, so they are always noticeable to others. Activities of a melancholic person often complicated by strong external influences.
He is a pronounced introvert, closed in on his own experiences, avoids contact with strangers and changes in environment. He is prone to indecision, shyness, is timid, and sometimes cowardly. If the melancholic person is in the usual, a favorable environment, then he is able to achieve good results in activities that require high sensitivity, observation, reactivity, and good learning ability.
In conclusion, it should be noted that there are no people who have one or another temperament in its pure form. But the general trend, as a rule, is visible. According to researchers, a person's character can change throughout life, but temperament never does.
Hello friends. How often are you called a hysteric, a whiner, a nerd, or a pancake? Are you angry about this? That's what you need. Being offended by others is stupid, especially since it is not their fault that you have such a temperament. Which? But today we will find out.
A little theory
This concept entered psychology a very long time ago, back in the time of Hippocrates, and this was already in the 5th century BC. Therefore, so many smart books have been written on this topic that it’s time to bury your head in them. Even the French writer Alexandre Dumas used a description of psychotypes in his book about the Three Musketeers and D’Artagnan.
Since each of the main characters is a representative of one of the types of temperament, it is already clear that there are only four of them.
Psychologists explain in complex words why temperament differs from character and in what way, but I’ll simplify it a little. It is almost impossible to control temperament, since it is tied to nervous reactions and brain reactions. But character, although largely formed under the influence of temperament, is also the result of upbringing and habits, which means it can be adjusted.
So, what is temperament responsible for? His areas of control include, first of all, emotions and reactions to what is happening:
- speed;
- intensity;
- sharpness;
- rate of change.
So we can conclude that temperament is responsible for the impressionability of the individual. If an apple falls on one, he will scratch the hit area and move on. The other one will cry. The third one will get angry. The fourth will be a revelation. At the end of the article, you will be able to say for sure which of the four unfortunate people who got hit on the head with an apple belongs to what type.
In addition, with the help of numerous observations, it was revealed that temperament is often inherited, since it is largely determined by the structure of the nervous system, common between parents and child. It also depends on the geographical component, as residents of northern countries are generally much calmer than residents of southern latitudes.
Strong and weak, active and passive
Now that we have talked about the characteristic as a whole, let's take a closer look at what kind of temperament this is and how it manifests itself in different people.
Main characteristics: active or passive, balanced or unbalanced personality.
Just as among the active there is one who shows strength of character, so among the passive. And vice versa: an unbalanced person can be active in character or passive, like a balanced one.
What refers to balanced behavior: a certain autonomy, independence, self-control. An unbalanced person is more influenced by other people or circumstances. Only the passive one will fall under the influence without resistance, and the active one will noisily, with hysterics, breaking dishes and announcing that he himself decided this way.
Modern psychologists characterize each temperament by style of behavior:
sanguine – strong;
choleric - unrestrained;
phlegmatic - calm;
melancholic - weak.
Both characteristics have a certain meaning; each of them describes the characteristics of a particular psychotype.
Four psychotypes
Finally, we get to the most important thing: what relates to the immediate characteristics of each of the four temperaments.
Well, where are our incomparable musketeers Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D’Artagnan? Very soon you will be able to determine for yourself what temperament each of them is endowed with. Although the use of representatives of different psychotypes as characters in books and films is a favorite technique of almost all authors. This is completely natural: they strive to depict real life, and in life it is unlikely to find a group of people with only one temperament.
So let's get started!
Sanguine
A cheerful, sociable, energetic and active person. If we are talking about born optimists, then these are, as a rule, sanguine people. The nervous system, although balanced, easily adapts to new situations without losing control of itself. Although they keep their fears under control, they need other people to maintain inner balance.
Psychologists believe that almost half of humanity belongs to the sanguine type - 44%, and this is good - it means that optimists predominate.
It is difficult to find a vivid image of a sanguine person in literature: he is too much of a problem-free type, while the author needs drama and depth of experience. So sanguine people most often act as “back-up dancers” - they are secondary characters. These include Olga Larina from Pushkin's Eugene Onegin and Phileas Vogt's servant Passepartout from Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days.
Choleric
He also belongs to the active type, but choleric people are not nearly as pleasant to communicate with as sanguine people, as they are prone to emotional outbursts if something goes wrong. He is agile and sharp, overcomes difficulties with pressure - more precisely, with a cavalry charge. The choleric often strives to be a leader, but achieves this by force and demands unconditional obedience. He always goes ahead and to the end; he is not characterized by flexibility and diplomacy in communication. The weak point of choleric people is the feeling of anxiety that haunts them, often based on fictitious fear.
This psychotype is characteristic of 14% of all inhabitants of the Earth.
I would say that the best description of this psychotype, with all its inherent manifestations, was achieved by the American writer Margaret Mitchell. The main character of her novel Gone with the Wind, Scarlett O'Hara, is a striking example of a choleric person.
Phlegmatic person
The cold-blooded and stubborn temperament of such a person belongs to the balanced type. But if a sanguine person expresses himself brightly, then a phlegmatic person behaves calmly in almost all cases. He is thorough by nature, loves to see things through to the end and fulfill his obligations. The phlegmatic person is rather slow and needs a period of adaptation to new conditions. Change, and even more so the unknown, are not attractive to a representative of this psychotype, although fears are not his weak side.
The phlegmatic person, due to his calmness, does not strive to be a leader. Therefore, it is easier for him to do what someone else determines. However, if he already has a goal, then it will be quite difficult to turn him off the path: without conflicts and protests, the phlegmatic person will do what he considers right. However, he can succumb to exhortations and persuasion.
Phlegmatic people are rare “animals”; their number is only 9% of the population of our planet.
The owner of the already mentioned Passepartout from the work of Jules Verne, Phileas Vogt, is precisely an example of a phlegmatic person who, without unnecessary noise and dust, goes to his intended goal.
Melancholic
A favorite character of many writers, poets and directors. Why? Yes, because it is so convenient to develop dramas and tragedies on the suffering of a melancholic person. Not only do they suffer, they are also prone to soul-searching and verbose outpourings about the causes and characteristics of their suffering.
Most often, a melancholic person is an introvert with a rich inner world. Although his outward manifestation of emotions is rather weak, he endures any failure for a long time and persistently, no matter what it is about. Representatives of this psychotype are most prone to depression. However, worries and fears do not bypass them either.
If we talk about the reasons for their fears, then one thing will be common: they are afraid of life itself and the need to do something. Physical pain and public misunderstanding, conflicts and confrontation, wars, natural disasters - all this leads melancholic people into blues and depression. The greatest pessimists and idealists, whose illusions are shattered by the slightest discrepancy with the ideal, are precisely the melancholics.
To come to at least some kind of agreement with the world, a melancholic person needs to understand how everything works, so he is quite inquisitive. And also persistent and stubborn... in his pessimistic outlook on life.
The melancholic group is the second largest, but fearful whiners make up only a third of humanity - 29% of the world's population.
I think that after such a description you can easily give several examples of melancholic people from literary works. In my opinion, the coolest melancholy is Eeyore from the story about Winnie the Pooh. And even more so in a cartoon.
How confusing everything is!
Although one of the temperaments predominates in each person, we do not always react to external stimuli only according to the template. A tired and angry sanguine person is quite capable of exploding like a choleric person, and a phlegmatic person can fall into depression like a melancholic person. Therefore, in most cases, psychologists talk about transitional types of temperament.
Want to know what type you are? Then come through test– and perhaps you will learn something new about yourself.
By the way, here's good news for those who are closest to the pronounced representatives of the main psychotype: psychologists say that it is precisely such people who most often achieve outstanding results.
But representatives of mixed types also have nothing to grieve, since a wider field for activity opens up before them: if they want, they have fun, if they want, they scream, if they want, they grieve.
In general, you don’t need to strive to become someone else, even if for some reason you don’t like your temperament. If you know your strengths and weaknesses, value yourself and your efforts, then you can achieve, if not fame and universal recognition, then at least the realization of your desires. And this is, by and large, the most important thing.
If you have any questions, watch this smiile film about temperaments, and everything will fall into place. See you in touch!