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Four Temperament Types

The subject of temperament types came up in a recent conversation I had with a couple of friends of mine. We were trying to remember how many there were and could only think of two. I did a little research and found these definitions in a wikipedia article. I sent the definitions out to my friends. We agreed that a single description was not enough. It took a combination of two types to work, in a general way of course.

In my case, I am a blend of Melancholic and Choleric.

Which categories do you fit into?

Sanguine

Candy

The Sanguine temperament personality is fairly extroverted. People of a sanguine temperament tend to enjoy social gatherings and making new friends. They tend to be creative and often daydream. However, some alone time is crucial for those of this temperament. Sanguine can also mean very sensitive, compassionate and thoughtful. Sanguine personalities generally struggle with following tasks all the way through, are chronically late, and tend to be forgetful and sometimes a little sarcastic. Often, when pursuing a new hobby, interest is lost quickly when it ceases to be engaging or fun. They are very much people persons. They are talkative and not shy.

Choleric

Oprah & Obama

A person who is choleric is a doer. They have a lot of ambition, energy, and passion, and try to instill it in others. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types. Many great charismatic military and political figures were cholerics. They like to be leaders and in charge of everything.

Melancholic

Woody

A person who is a thoughtful ponderer has a melancholic disposition. Often very considerate, melancholics can be highly creative in activities such as poetry and art - and can become occupied with the tragedy and cruelty in the world. A melancholic is also often a perfectionist. They are often self-reliant and independent.

Phlegmatic

Lisa Simpson

Phlegmatics tend to be self-content and kind. They can be very accepting and affectionate. They may be very receptive and shy and often prefer stability to uncertainty and change. They are very consistent, relaxed, rational, curious, and observant, making them good administrators and diplomats.

  1. Nancy
    July 26th, 2010 at 19:52 | #1

    I’m definitely sanguine and melancholic….

  2. billpa
    July 26th, 2010 at 22:18 | #2

    Definitely!
    ; )

  3. July 26th, 2010 at 23:10 | #3

    i had a university prof who was quite enamoured of the jungian analysis which takes four basic attributes and modifies them with polarities (extrovert/introvert), and then later in life was subjected to myers-briggs analyses based on the jungian model but which approach the one you suggest – a dominant and… um… subdominant? recessive? subservient? – by combining two of the four types. but if i recall correctly you couldn’t major AND a minor in the same subject, so you ended up with twelve combinations instead of sixteen. i forget which i was. i know i was mostly blue and partly red, and didn’t want to help anyone build a jenga tower or a bridge out of drinking straws.

    what i really want someone to track down for me is the article i read about “the four types of people in the tour van,” for which my band members and i could have been the case studies on which it was based.

  4. billpa
    July 27th, 2010 at 12:21 | #4

    Have you seen the French film Bolero, with James Caan? The idea is that there are only three stories in the history of the world…

  5. July 27th, 2010 at 19:32 | #5

    man vs nature, man vs man, and five guys in a tour van

  6. billpa
    July 27th, 2010 at 22:22 | #6

    No, four guys and an obnoxious singer, the guitarist’s girlfriend. On the road.
    But, couple splits up.
    And you know what you call a guitarist without a girlfriend?
    Homeless.
    Which happens to be the name of the movie.

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