What is temperament – and what type is yours?

Some 1,800 years ago, Greek physician Galen identified four types of temperament, which he based on levels of body “humors” (fluids). All these years later, the names remain intact. We’ll review them as we wrap-up our discussion of temperament.

We began our two-part series on temperament last week.

In part one we defined it and reviewed its dimensions, according to Hans Eysenck. And now it’s on to topics, such as how temperament is formed, its relationship with personality, change potential, and, of course, the types of temperament.

Let’s roll…

What is temperament?

We handled it in part one, but it’s important to review the definition of temperament. According to the American Psychological Association…

The basic foundation of personality, usually assumed to be biologically determined and present early in life, including such characteristics as energy level, emotional responsiveness, demeanor, mood, response tempo, behavioral inhibition, and willingness to explore.

So we’re very much in the realm of the innate – nature – as well as our natural self.

How is temperament formed?

Think about babies before the impact of environmental factors – say, newborn to four weeks old. Some are smiley, even-tempered, and most often go with the flow. Others are fussy, cry frequently, and are difficult to soothe.

Aside from anatomical or physiological issues, I’ve always believed the difference is temperament, which emphasizes its innateness.

Temperament is believed to be primarily driven by genetics, which explains why those babies may have temperaments similar to a parent or grandparent.

What is the difference between temperament and personality?

There’s often confusion when it comes to temperament and personality, so let’s see what we can do to clear things up.

As we did with temperament, here’s the American Psycholigical Association’s definition of personality…

The enduring configuration of characteristics and behavior that comprises an individual’s unique adjustment to life, including major traits, interests, drives, values, self-concept, abilities, and emotional patterns. Personality is generally viewed as a complex, dynamic integration or totality shaped by many forces, including hereditary and constitutional tendencies; physical maturation; early training; identification with significant individuals and groups; culturally conditioned values and roles; and critical experiences and relationships. Various theories explain the structure and development of personality in different ways, but all agree that personality helps determine behavior.

How’s that for thorough?

The differences

There’s a whole lot going on in the personality neck of the woods. Not only will you find temperament, which actually influences personality development, there are other goodies associated with an individual’s traits and preferences, as well as how they behave and interact with the world.

In part one we learned that temperament has significant genetic links and changes are tough to come by. Personality is much more alive – however, changes still aren’t a cinch – because it develops and evolves as we age.

Here’s a helpful takeaway: personality is predominantly about nurture, temperament is predominantly about nature.

What are the types of temperament?

Same as they were 1,800 years ago

As mentioned in the opening, the four types of temperament were established by Greek physician Galen some 1,800 years ago. And he based them upon body humors (fluids), which were believed to control mood, emotion, and behavior.

The humors he selected were blood, yellow bile, phlegm, and black bile. Their sources in order  – marrow, liver/gallbladder, lungs, and spleen.

Of note, Galen continued the work of Hippocrates 600 years earlier.

Alright, here are the four types of temperament…

Sanguine

Humor: blood Source: marrow

Those with a sanguine temperament are typically extroverted, sociable, upbeat, and optimistic. They can be talkative and energetic, so social interactions often come easy.

The traits that make them fun to be around may also generate impulsivity and indecisiveness. That opens the door to high-risk behaviors, which can include substance use problems.

Choleric

Humor: yellow bile Source: liver/gall bladder

People with a choleric temperament are typically dominant, assertive. goal-oriented, and driven. They’re high achievers at work, school, and play, and are often selected as team leaders.

Given choleric folks are dominant, they can be impatient and stubborn. They may even prioritize achieving their goals over developing social connections and relationships.

Phlegmatic

Humor: phlegm Source: lungs

When first encountering a phlegmatic individual, easy-going likely comes to mind. They’re laid-back, empathetic when relating with others, and dependable. It’s not surprising that they’re at home in the mundane and routine.

Phlemagtic people show little emotion, which can come across as passive or unfeeling. They have a need to avoid conflict at all costs, which gets in the way of asserting themselves – leading to missed opportunities.

Melancholic

Humor: black bile Source: spleen

People often assume melancholic folks are joyless and sad. That may be true; however, they’re also thoughtful and sensitive. Add to that analytical and methodical characteristics and you can see why they’re valuable to any workplace.

On the other side of the coin, they prefer to work alone and might not make the best team players. Fact is, they often get moody and anxious when things aren’t going their way.

What about you?

So what do you think? Can you nail down your temperament type? I’ll lead – melancholic here.

Now you may be wondering if one can have two temperament types. Sure, maybe characteristics of all four. Just keep in mind, we present primarily as one type. For example, I could add sanguine as, shall we say, a subtype.

Acceptance and self-respect

And that’s a wrap on the series. Yes, that “way” about us – our temperament. As I said in closing part one, its roots run deep. And since it’s primarily genetically-driven, they weave their way through generations of family.

You know what? We may not like our temperament, but there isn’t much we can do about it. That’s why acceptance and self-respect are so important.

Be sure to read part one to learn more about temperament, including its dimensions.

Thank you Verywell Mnd for your article Temperaments: Which of the 4 Types Are You?, written by Toketemu Ohwovoriole. It provided an abundance of quality info. Same goes for My Personality for their article Temperament and Petsonality: Key Differences & Similarities, written by Lisa Sparrow.

Those Chipur info and inspiration articles: review all of the titles or by category below.

After a decades-long battle with panic, generalized anxiety, fluctuating moods, and alcohol dependence; Bill finally found his life’s passion and work – lending a hand to those in the same boat. At age 49 he hit grad school and earned his counseling credentials. And he continues his service through Chipur and other projects.