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Each of us is different. We differ from each other not only in terms of external appearance, but also in character traits, feelings and reactions to various life situations. Personality issues have long been a concern of philosophers and great thinkers, wondering why some people act this way and others act quite differently. It turns out that the answer to most of these questions is: temperament. What is temperament really? What types of temperament are there?
What is temperament?
Temperament it accompanies us from early childhood. It is said that the first signs of a specific temperament it is already visible after birth, when we observe how the baby expresses various emotions. Great thinkers have long been interested in why people behave differently. Our basic knowledge of temperament we draw from the writings of Hippocrates, who in ancient times distinguished and characterized four types of human temperament. They are: melancholic, phlegmatic, sanguine and choleric.
How are the different types of temperament different?
You probably have heard more than once how some people are said to be choleric or act phlegmatic. Although sometimes it only describes individual reactions of given individuals, and not necessarily theirs temper, in fact, these terms come from the Hippocratic type names temperament. Almost everyone knows what melancholy is. And so is the melancholic too. This is a person who seems quite sad and often seems introverted. It is not the life of the party. She is rather quiet and quite pessimistic at the same time. It is believed to be the anxious, weak and unbalanced type.
Another type temperament there is a phlegmatic temperament. Such people are also calm and introverted, but compared to the melancholic they are stable and balanced. Phlegmatic people are attentive and peaceful towards the world, and at the same time strong and composed.
The next two types are the types of extroverts. Sanguine is a confident and fairly stable person. Sanguines like company and are open-minded. Usually, such people seem quite carefree and full of life. They are strong and balanced. Choleric people are quite explosive, restless and irritable, although active and optimistic.
It is worth remembering, however, that people are much more complex than you might think and it is extremely rare to assign them to just one type. temperament. Usually they do temper complex.
What does temperament affect?
Features temperament they are critical to our responses to the various things that happen in our lives. Temperament it manifests itself especially when we deal with stressful situations and conflicts. Then it is easiest for us to act impulsively, and it is in such situations that it is easiest for us to judge whether a person is phlegmatic or more choleric. It is worth remembering that features temperament they can be an obstacle if we cannot control them in certain situations, but they can also be of great benefit if used in certain areas of life.
Is temperament the most important thing?
Is being a phlegmatic or a choleric a foregone conclusion? On the one hand, yes, because temperament You can’t just change it like that, and on the other hand you can’t change it at all, because we can learn to control specific reactions. Temperament therefore it does not determine our way of life, it does not directly influence our successes or failures. However, it can help us become aware of certain mechanisms of action, and when we become aware of them, we can learn to use them consciously.