What Is Temperament? A Brief History

Temperament refers to the dynamic features of a person’s personality, such as the speed of their reactions and the stability of their emotional sphere. The concept has evolved over time, with ancient scholars attributing different meanings to it compared to modern psychology. Despite this, echoes of old theories are still present in today’s medicine and psychology. Understanding temperament has helped improve educational approaches and plays a significant role in applied psychology.

Humoral Theory of Temperament

The term “humoral” comes from the Latin word “humor,” meaning fluid. Hippocrates proposed that the predominance of certain bodily fluids influenced a person’s physical and psychological traits. He identified four main fluids:

• Blood
• Phlegm
• Black bile
• Yellow bile

Each fluid was thought to be responsible for specific characteristics. Hippocrates associated blood with warmth, phlegm with coldness, and bile with dryness or moisture. He divided people into four groups, suggesting that a remedy helpful to one could harm another. Later, Roman doctors named this phenomenon “temperament,” meaning “mixture of fluids.” Over time, the theory expanded to include psychological traits.

Roman physician Claudius Galen classified personalities based on these fluids, giving rise to the four classic temperaments:

• Sanguine (blood)
• Phlegmatic (phlegm)
• Choleric (yellow bile)
• Melancholic (black bile)

While the classification remains, modern interpretations differ significantly. Some parallels can be found in Ayurveda and modern endocrinology, where mental traits are linked to hormonal function. The humoral theory persisted until the late 19th century, with various scholars proposing links between temperament and physiological features.

Constitutional Theories of Temperament

In the early 20th century, theories emerged connecting a person’s physical constitution to their temperament. Western researchers suggested that temperament could be based on:

• Appearance
• Body build
• Proportions of body parts
• Tissue ratios

German psychiatrist Ernst Kretschmer linked body type to temperament and even psychiatric diagnoses. He identified three main types:

• Pyknic: Stocky, with a round head and short neck; cyclothymic reactions.
• Asthenic: Slender, tall, with a long face; schizothymic reactions.
• Athletic: Muscular, broad-shouldered; ixothymic reactions.

In the 1940s, American psychologist William Sheldon proposed a similar classification using embryological terms:

• Endomorphic
• Mesomorphic
• Ectomorphic

Despite their detailed descriptions, these theories did not account for many features of the nervous system.

Psychological Theories: Understanding Temperament

Modern psychology recognizes that temperament cannot be explained by a single theory. Ivan Pavlov was the first to link temperament to the nervous system, focusing on three properties:

• Strength
• Balance
• Mobility (speed of processes)

These properties determine the type of nervous system a person has. Pavlov mapped the four classic temperaments as follows:

• Sanguine: Strong, balanced, and quick nervous system
• Phlegmatic: Strong and balanced, but slow
• Choleric: Strong but unbalanced
• Melancholic: Weak type

Wilhelm Wundt classified temperaments by emotional strength and stability. Hans Eysenck later introduced the concepts of extraversion/introversion and emotional stability (neuroticism), associating them with the four temperaments.

Main Traits of Temperament

Temperament traits, reflecting nervous system features, influence how mental processes unfold. Key parameters include:

• Activity
• Productivity
• Reaction speed
• Excitability
• Inhibition
• Switching (flexibility)

These traits manifest in various aspects of life:

Cognitive Activity

• Ability to focus
• Thinking speed
• Productivity (results over time)
• Ability to switch between tasks

Physical Activity

• Strength and amplitude of movements
• Speed and productivity of actions

Communication

• Expressiveness in speech and gestures
• Ease of making contact
• Adaptability in new environments
• Ability to convey and understand information

Personal Traits

• Sensitivity: Responsiveness to external stimuli
• Reactivity: Automatic, involuntary responses
• Activity: Energy and goal-directedness
• Plasticity: Adaptability to change
• Rigidity: Tendency to dwell on circumstances
• Tempo: Speed of speech, gestures, and decisions
• Extraversion/Introversion: Orientation toward external or internal stimuli
• Emotional excitability: Threshold for emotional response

Activity and reactivity help determine whether a person’s responses are more automatic or conscious.

Psychological Characteristics of Temperament Types

Sanguine

Sanguine people are sociable, optimistic, and open to new experiences. They make friends easily and adapt quickly, but their emotions and interests change rapidly. They are extraverts, lively, and engaging, but their knowledge and feelings can be superficial.

Phlegmatic

Phlegmatic individuals are calm, steady, and persistent. They finish what they start and are reliable, but may be slow to adapt and reserved in social situations. Their attachments are deep and stable. They are often introverts and can sometimes withdraw from the world.

Choleric

Cholerics are energetic, impulsive, and quick to react. They are passionate and driven but can be irritable and prone to conflict. They excel in dynamic situations but may struggle with routine or prolonged tasks. Cholerics are usually extraverts.

Melancholic

Melancholics are slow to react and easily fatigued. They are sensitive, anxious, and often lack self-confidence. Their emotions are deep but not outwardly expressed. They work well in low-stress environments and are deep introverts.

Temperament and Higher Nervous Activity

According to Pavlov’s theory, the following properties are linked to temperament:

• Strength
• Balance
• Mobility

Sanguine, phlegmatic, and choleric types have strong nervous systems, but only sanguine and phlegmatic are balanced. Melancholic types have a weak nervous system.

Temperament and Personality

Temperament is an innate quality that shapes the nervous system but does not define personality. Behavior is influenced by upbringing and environment as well. While the speed of mental processes cannot be radically changed, people can adapt to their temperament’s strengths and weaknesses. This is especially important in child development and education.

• Don’t expect quick reactions from a phlegmatic child, but value their thoughtfulness and perseverance.
• Sanguine children’s sociability is great for organizational tasks.
• Cholerics’ energy is useful for challenging tasks requiring determination.
• Melancholic children need encouragement and confidence-building.

The Role of Temperament in Human Activity

Does temperament affect a person’s activity? Yes and no. There are no “good” or “bad” temperaments—just different ways of responding to situations. People of all temperaments can have high IQs and succeed in learning. Those with a strong nervous system may work quickly but make more mistakes, while those with a weaker system may work more slowly but accurately. Both can be equally effective.

Temperament, like eye color, does not determine whether a person will be successful or not. Understanding someone’s temperament is especially important in close relationships and at work.

• Cholerics thrive in roles that require drive and determination but can be quick-tempered and confrontational.
• Sanguines are sociable and optimistic but may make unrealistic promises.
• Phlegmatics need time and autonomy to work effectively and can be hard to persuade.
• Melancholics are empathetic and sensitive but may need extra support in leadership roles.

Temperament is not a punishment or a sentence, nor is it a personality trait. While it’s hard to change innate tendencies, they can be balanced with the right attitude and priorities.