“There are more defects in temperament than in the mind.” – François De La Rochefoucauld (French writer)
For persons with high levels of temperament, bad moods are extremely common. We all experience awful moments when it is challenging for us to maintain self-control around other people, but some of us seem to experience them one straight after the other. When a poor mood shows up sometimes, we prefer to put up with it and be sympathetic, but when it becomes a regular occurrence and we fail to address it promptly, it may end up becoming contagious.
Our fundamental innate style is our temperament. It forms the foundation of who we are. Generally speaking, the extroverted and introverted temperament types are two of the basic temperament types. This fluctuates depending on our unique personality development and temperamental mix.
We have constructed our personalities on top of our temperaments. Despite having similar temperaments, two persons may behave significantly differently in real life due to influences such as upbringing, education, family structure, siblings or lack thereof, and psychological pressures. It is, however, crucial that we comprehend the various temperaments and how they affect how we behave.
We are considerably more prepared to manage interpersonal connections when we are aware of our own and other people’s temperaments. Our skills, shortcomings, and the reasons behind some of the things we do can all be better understood by studying our temperament. Knowing someone else’s temperament can help us better communicate with them or, at the very least, understand why we do not get along with them. There are four fundamental personality categories. Here is an explanation of them.
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Choleric
The strongest and most active of the four types is choleric. He has a firm sense of self-worth, independence, and opinion. He is the most pragmatic and makes wise decisions quickly. He frequently drives through or over challenges since he is not afraid of them. He struggles the most with anger, and he does not easily show sympathy. Although details irritate him, until he learns to delegate, he will frequently glide over details. He is fast to spot opportunities and quick to seize them. He might thrive where more talented people fail because of his strong character and perseverance. The majority of business owners are choleric, and since they tend to be perfectionists, they frequently end up doing everything themselves. When leading others, a choleric is incredibly goal-oriented.
His tendency to plow over people when they get in his way is his biggest leadership flaw. Anger and animosity are among a choleric’s other faults. He is most likely to have a volatile temper; he slams doors and blows his horn, and he can harbor resentment for a very long time. A choleric is the least inclined to express love or any other type of outward display of emotion. Out of all the temperaments, his emotions are the least developed. A choleric may also have strong opinions and be clever in securing their goals.
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Melancholic
A melancholic is a reserved individual. His analytical and perfectionist tendencies come naturally. He has the most variable moods, going from energized to expressionless and depressed. He can be highly aggressive and difficult to get along with when he Is feeling down. Due to his tendency toward perfection, he is the temperament that can be relied upon the most. He can effectively identify challenges and issues thanks to his analytical skills, but he frequently resists making changes because he enjoys the status quo and might come out as unduly negative.
His shortcomings include being sensitive and easily offended. He frequently feels attacked and could seek retaliation for remarks that were either true or imagined. His appraisal of things tends to be “all or nothing”; there can be no gray areas; it’s either black or white. When assessing a person or event, he is least likely to take into account any complicating factors. There is no temperament more prone to being stiff and legalistic. When someone does not share his perspective, he can become intolerant and irritable.
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Phlegmatic
The adjective “easy-going” best describes a phlegmatic. He is a stable, composed individual who does not get easily upset. He has the most agreeable disposition type. He has an active and tranquil life. A phlegmatic temperament type is the timidest, despite his calm demeanor. He uses humor a lot to make his points. He does not participate in other people’s activities and is more of an observer. Despite never volunteering, he is incredibly dependable and well-organized and makes a competent group leader.
A phlegmatic’s flaws include a lack of motivation. He may be egotistical and self-protective. He regularly exhibits extreme stubbornness, but it goes unnoticed because of his polite demeanor. Additionally, he has the most fearsome temperament.
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Sanguine
A sanguine is open-minded and receptive by nature. He is typically referred to as a super-extrovert. He prefers to be with other people and dislikes being by himself. He is frequently referred to as a toucher since he will often reach out and touch the other person while they are speaking. This could cause anxiety and discomfort in people with more introverted temperaments. His enthusiasm can make him appear more confident than he is, and because of his cheerful demeanor, people frequently excuse his shortcomings by stating, “That is simply the way he is.” A sanguine is typically a cheerful individual who people enjoy being around.
Numerous approaches exist to demonstrate the sanguine’s vulnerability. The most sensitive of the four temperaments, a sanguine has an impulsive ability to grieve or erupt in rage. Although these outbursts typically pass quickly, a sanguine’s life may be affected by their lack of emotional stability in various ways.
Photo source: Cottonbro
After identifying each temperament, we must also acknowledge that no one fits into a temperament type exclusively. Each of us combines two, and occasionally three, different types. There are two temperament types in each of us: one dominant and the other secondary. Furthermore, we must recognize that a person may be forced to behave differently by their training, lifestyle, upbringing, and other factors.
Some elements that influence our personality
Many additional things influence our conduct, just as no one has just one temperament. Any combination of percentages may make up the blend, making us more of one type than another.
- Differences may result from parenting styles and early life events. For instance, a melancholic father might raise a child differently from a phlegmatic one, causing the child to value the two parenting styles differently.
- Our conduct as well as our level of physical health may be impacted by our level of education and training. This mostly explains why we might have a combination of elements from all temperament types. It makes it more challenging for us to understand our kind even if it is extremely unusual.
In addition, while we cannot alter our fundamental temperamental tendencies, we can impact our behaviors and therefore, our personalities. As an illustration, consider a phlegmatic who has felt compelled to adopt an outgoing sanguine demeanor for so long that it has become ingrained, even though it is obvious that this is not his natural state of being.
Even though it is obvious that we cannot also alter another person’s disposition, most of us nevertheless try. If one partner or parent believes that the other person may be improved upon, this presents a unique difficulty in marriage and childrearing. Couples who believe they can alter their partner’s conduct may do so and believe they have succeeded. Only when a person makes the change internally will it be truly adopted, albeit it will still fit with their temperamental style.
To conclude, it is important to remember that every one of us is the way we are because of inherited temperamental traits. Everybody has had the opinion that another kind is superior at some point, but this attitude is typically motivated by a trait we appreciate in the other that we find difficult to do ourselves. For instance, an introverted phlegmatic can be envious of a sanguine’s easygoing demeanor, and a chaotic sanguine can be envious of a melancholic’s innate organization. Therefore, each type is better or worse at different things. The key is to match the personality to the event, which happens in real life very infrequently.
Maybe we should give individuals the benefit of the doubt the next time they behave in a manner we do not comprehend.