“THE FOUR HUMAN TEMPERAMENTS”
by Dr. D. W. Ekstrand
There are “reasons” for everything we do as human beings, though it is often difficult for us to understand why we
think like we think,
feel like we feel, or
act like
we act in life. Many of the answers for human behavior can be found in
people’s temperaments or personalities.
The study of the human
personality goes all the way back to the famous Greek physician
Hippocrates (460-370
BC), the “father of medicine” — he was born during the prophetic
ministries of Nehemiah and Malachi, or some 450 years before the birth
of Christ.
Hippocrates’ work has been researched extensively and is used
as a dynamic diagnostic tool in both psychology and psychiatry to this
day. A generic explanation of human
“Temperaments” or
“Personalities”
is that all of us have been born with genetically inherited “behavioral
tendencies” that are as much a part of our DNA as is the color of our
hair; all of us are made up of DNA combinations passed on to us through
our parents and ancestors.
This fact is important because it helps us to
more fully understand our basic
behavioral disposition.
Even though much of our human personality is inherited, it should also
be noted, much of it has also been influenced and shaped by our unique
environments. Most scientific research on human behavior suggests that
about 50% of the variations in human personality are determined by
genetic factors — so our human behavior is
shaped equally by our environment and by our DNA.
Thus, all of us as human beings have been
hard-wired by our Creator (we are not just products of random chance – Ps 119:73; 139:13-16; Is 44:24), and we have all been
impacted by the world around us.
Furthermore, according to the scientific analysis all human
personalities are commonly divided up into four major categories (with
the exception of those with severe mental disorders), and these four
types are further broken down into two categories —
Extroverts and
Introverts:
Extroverted Personalities: The
Choleric and
Sanguine personality-types are more “out-going,” more sociable, and more comfortable in a crowd, even standing out in a crowd.
Introverted Personalities: The
Melancholy and
Phlegmatic personality-types are more shy and “reserved” and feel anxious about being in crowd, especially at being singled-out in a crowd.
It should be noted that all human beings have a degree of each of these four personality types within them, though each person will definitely
test out higher in one, with
another being a close second.
No individual only possesses one personality type, and most of us have
a very strong secondary temperament. Should you take one of the
personality tests available today, you would discover that you possess
dominant characteristics in a couple of the temperaments, and each kind
of personality has a general characteristic associated with it.
It
should be noted that there are varying degrees of
Extroversion and
Introversion —
in other words, some Phlegmatics and Melancholies “border” on being
out-going, and some Cholerics and Sanguines “border” on being shy.
Though the characteristics may not be true for everyone with a
particular personality, they are generally true for the vast majority of
people.
All four personality types have general strengths and
weaknesses with which people must contend, and no one personality type
is better than any other. All four have both good and bad qualities, and
all four are needed to make this world a better place.
Whatever your
temperament or personality, God is the one who has given you the
abilities and sensitivities that you possess, and He has given those
things to you for a purpose — that you might faithfully work at
developing them and using them in His service. Though our temperaments
have been tainted by sin and the fall, God’s Spirit is mightily at work
in us transforming us into the image of Christ that we might be more
effective workmen in His Kingdom (Jn 17:17-20; 2 Cor 3:18; 5:20; Eph
4:7-16; Phil 2:13).
Remember, no two people are alike – we are all
unique – and we have all been given a unique call-ing in life. Therefore
it is important that we not covet qualities we do not possess; rather,
that we focus on discovering God’s will for our lives and enjoy serving
Him with the skill-set with which we have been blessed; knowing that God
wants to use us to do the work for which He designed us. So identify
your skills and strengths and get to work! (Prayerfully reflect upon the
following passages –- Mt 6:33; 13:12; 25:14-30; Lk 12:48; Jn 21:20-22; 1
Cor 4:2; 12:4-7, 21-24; Eph 2:10).
Of all the relationships we have in life, marriage is by far the most important. A
good relation-ship between a husband and a wife makes for a happy home.
A marriage shadowed by bitterness, fighting and other unpleasantness
leaves its scars on not only the couple, but also on their children and
those around them.
Good marriages are not just accidents — they are the
result of hard work and understanding. In general, marriages between two
people with the
“same personality type” have the
greatest potential for clashing, and anyone married to a sanguine or
choleric is in for a challenge; this is mainly due to the tendencies of
these two personality types to require excessive attention and control,
respectively. Thus pretty much all marriages will have fairly
significant challenges. Most often
“opposites do attract”
— Sanguine individuals tend to marry Melancholy ones, and Cholerics
favor Phlegmatics; though such situations are not always the case, they
do appear to be the most common. It should be noted that there is no
such thing as
“the ideal combination;” we are all fallen human beings with foibles and shortcomings.
Following is a brief description of each of the four temperaments or personalities — at the end of each description I have listed the
two primary characteristics
for that temperament. By identify-ing the two temperaments that best
describe who you are as a person, you should be able to identify your
“strongest characteristic” — be it predominantly extroversion,
introversion, organizational, or relational.
Aside from the
Extrovert-Introvert continuum that was described above on the pre-vious page, there is the
Organizational-Relational continuum — Cholerics and Melancholies are more
“organizational,” whereas the Sanguines and Phlegmatics are more
“relational.” With that said, let’s look at a description of the four temperaments, beginning with the “sanguine” —
A. SANGUINE — The Sanguine temperament is fundamentally
impulsive and
pleasure-seeking. Sanguine’s are frequently referred to as
“the talker.” They
are expressive in personality… desire influence, and being enthusiastic
with people… in expressing thoughts with excitement… and being the
center of attention. The Sanguine is sociable and charismatic, generally
warm-hearted, pleasant, lively, optimistic, creative, compassionate,
and outgoing; he is the life of the party, humorous, enthusiastic, and
cheerful; he easily attracts others and makes friends; he inspires
others to work and join in the fun. He is sincere at heart, always a
child, creative and colorful, possesses energy and enthusiasm, loves
people, is a great volunteer, thrives on compliments, and doesn’t hold
grudges. The Sanguine likes to talk a lot… struggles with completing
tasks… is chronically late… and tends to forget his obligations… he
bases his decisions primarily on feelings. Sanguine types can be great
parents, because they love to have fun; but their homes are often
frenzied and disorganized, and the only time you find everyone silent is
when they are sleeping! Sanguine people usually possess high amounts of
energy, so they often seem restless and spon-taneous. This type of
personality loves the life of luxury and impressing others… they are big
spenders… they love to travel the world and indulge in rich,
comfortable living… and they will do almost anything to satisfy their
always present need to be absorbed by something meaningful and exciting.
They are impulsive and often find it difficult to control their
cravings; as such, people with this temperament are more susceptible to
smoking, alcohol, drugs, gambling and taking risk; sadly, they are most
susceptible to chemical imbalances, addictions and mood disorders. These
people feel bored if they are not absorbed by something intriguing and
adventurous. The Sanguine is very poor at tolerating boredom; for the
most part he will try to avoid monotony and that which is routine at all
costs; routine jobs and boring companions annoy him and irritate him.
The Bible characters that seem to best fit the characteristics of a
Sanguine are King David and Peter. In addition to the characteristics
listed below, the Sanguine is essentially described as being
relational and an
extrovert…
• Is self-composed, seldom shows signs of embarrassment, perhaps forward or bold.
• Is eager to express himself before a group; likes to be heard.
• Prefers group activities; work or play; not easily satisfied with individual projects.
• Is not insistent upon acceptance of his ideas or plans; compliant and yielding.
• Is good in details; prefers activities requiring pep and energy.
• Is impetuous and impulsive; his decisions are often (usually) wrong.
• Is keenly alive to environment, physical and social; likes curiosity.
• Tends to take success for granted; is a follower; lacks initiative.
• Is hearty and cordial, even to strangers; forms acquaintanceship easily.
• Tends to elation of spirit; not given to worry and anxiety; is carefree.
• Seeks wide and broad range of friendships; is not selective; not exclusive in games.
• Is quick and decisive in movements; pronounced or excessive energy output.
• Turns from one activity to another in rapid succession; little perseverance.
• Makes adjustments easily; welcomes changes; makes the best appearance possible.
• Is frank, talkative, sociable, expresses emotions readily; does not stand on ceremony.
• Has frequent fluctuations of mood; tends to frequent alterations of elation and depression.
B. CHOLERIC — The Choleric temperament is fundamentally
ambitious and
leader-like. The Choleric is the strongest of the extroverted Temperaments, and is sometimes referred to as a “Type A” personality or
“the doer” (or
“the driver”); he is a hard driving individual known for accomplishing
goals… he has a lot of aggression, energy, and/or passion, and tries to
instill it in others. Dominant in personality Cholerics desire control,
and are best at jobs that demand strong control and authority, and
require quick decisions and instant attention. The Choleric is the most
insensitive of the Temperaments; they care little for the feelings of
others; feelings simply don’t play into the equation for them. Most
Cholerics are men, and born leaders who exude confidence; they are
naturally gifted businessmen, strong willed, independent, self
sufficient, they see the whole picture, organize well, insist on
production, stimulate activity, thrive on opposition, are unemotional
and not easily discouraged. They are decisive, must correct wrongs when
they see them, and compulsively need to change things. They systematize
everything, are all about independence, and do not do well in a
subordinate position. They are goal oriented and have a wonderful focus
as they work; they are good at math and engineering, are analytical,
logical and pragmatic; and are masters at figuring things out. They are
skeptical and do not trust easy; they need to investigate the facts on
their own, relying on their own logic and reasoning. If they are
absorbed in something, do not even bother trying to get their attention.
Negatively, they are bossy, domineering, impatient, can’t relax, quick
tempered, easily angered, unsympathetic, enjoy arguments, too impetuous,
and can dominate people of other tempera-ments, especially the
Phlegmatic types. Many great charismatic military and political figures
were Cholerics. They like to be in charge of everything… they are
workaholics who thrive on control and want their way… they are highly
independent people, and have very little respect for diplomas and other
credentials. They set high standards, are diligent and hard-working, are
rarely satisfied, and never give up their attempts to succeed. Choleric
women are very rare, but strangely are very popular people. Cholerics
have the most trouble with anger, intolerance and impatience; they want
facts instead of emotions; and should you get your feelings hurt, it’s
your problem, not theirs. The Choleric does not have many friends
(though he needs them), and he has a tendency to fall into deep sudden
depression, and is much prone to mood swings. The Bible characters that
seem to best fit the characteristics of a Choleric are the apostle Paul,
James, Martha and Titus. In addition to the characteristics listed
below, the Choleric is essentially described as being
organizational and an
extrovert…
• Is self-composed; seldom shows embarrassment, is forward or bold.
• Is eager to express himself before a group if he has some purpose in view.
• Is insistent upon the acceptance of his ideas or plans; argumentative and persuasive.
• Is impetuous & impulsive; plunges into situations where forethought would have deterred him.
• Is self-confident and self-reliant; tends to take success for granted.
• Exhibits strong initiative; tends to elation of spirit; seldom gloomy; prefers to lead.
• Is very sensitive and easily hurt; reacts strongly to praise or blame.
• Is not given to worry or anxiety; he is seclusive.
• Is quick and decisive in movement; pronounced or excessive energy output.
• Has marked tendency to persevere; does not abandon something readily regardless of success.
• Is characterized by emotions not freely or spontaneously expressed, except anger.
• Makes best appearance possible; perhaps conceited; may use hypocrisy, deceit, disguise.
C. PHLEGMATIC — The Phlegmatic temperament is fundamentally
relaxed and
quiet, ranging from warmly attentive to lazily sluggish. Phlegmatics are referred to as
“the watcher”
— they are best in positions of unity and mediation, and solid in
positions that desire steadiness. The Phlegmatic is most often a female
who tends to be easygoing, content with herself, calm, cool and
collected, tolerant of others, well-balanced, sympathetic, kind,
unassuming, keeps emotions hidden, is happily reconciled to life, not in
a hurry, has many friends, avoids conflict, inoffen-sive, quiet but
witty, agreeable and intuitive… though they are very peaceful, patient
and adaptable, they tend to be reluctant, indecisive and a worrier. They
are wonderful at gathering facts, classifying them, and seeing the
relationship between them; basically, they are good at generalizing,
seeing the bigger picture, and reading between the lines. They are
accepting, affectionate, frequently shy, and often prefer stability to
uncertainty and change. Because they are fearful, indecisive and
hesitant of things in life, they have a compromising nature.
Phleg-matics often worries about everything. They want to know other
people’s deepest feelings and strive to build intimate attachments with
just about everyone in their lives. They are interested in cooperation
and interpersonal harmony, and this is why they preserve their family
ties and friendships. They could be described as considerate,
charitable, sympathetic, trusting, warm, calm, relaxed, consistent,
rational, curious, and observant — this makes them good adminis-trators.
Phlegmatic men and women strive for greater self-knowledge, and seek to
contribute to society at large. On the negative side, they are often
selfish, self-righteous, judge others easily, resist change, stay
uninvolved, dampen enthusiasm, and can be passive-aggressive. In large
part, the Phlegmatic temperament is deemed to be a neutral temperament.
The Bible characters that seem to best fit the characteristics of a
Phlegmatic are Joseph, Timothy and Barnabas. In addition to the
following characteristics, the Phlegmatic is essentially described as
being
relational and an
introvert…
• Is deliberative; slow in making decisions; perhaps overcautious in minor matters.
• Is indifferent to external affairs.
• Is reserved and distant.
• Is slow in movement.
• Has a marked tendency to persevere.
• Exhibits a constancy of mood.
D. MELANCHOLIC — The Melancholic temperament is fundamentally
introverted &
thoughtful. Melancholies are often referred to as
“the thinker.” Their
analytical personality’s desire caution and restraint, best at
attending to details and in analyzing problems too difficult for others.
They tend to be deep-thinkers and feelers who often see the negative
attributes of life, rather than the good and positive things. They are
self-reliant and independent and get wholly involved in what they are
doing. Melancholies can be highly creative in activities such as art,
literature, music, health-care and ministry, and can become preoccupied
with the tragedy and cruelty in the world; they long to make a
significant and lasting difference in the world. Melancholies usually
have a high degree of perfectionist tendencies, especially in regards to
their own lives or performance. They are serious, purposeful,
analytical, musical, artistic, talented, creative, self-sacrificing,
conscien-tious, idealistic, philosophical, and are genius prone. They
are also very “introspective” and hold themselves to a very high
standard — one that can rarely be achieved. They tend to be highly
organized, schedule oriented, economical, tidy, neat, detail conscious,
finish what they start, like charts, graphs, figures and lists, see the
problems and are able to identify creative solutions with ease. Sadly,
many Melancholies are also victims of deep bouts of depression that come
from great dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurtful words or events.
Melancholy personalities are people who have a deep love for others,
while usually holding themselves in contempt. In short, melancholies
take life very seriously (too much so sometimes) and it often leaves
them feeling blue, helpless or even hopeless. Because they are deeply
caring people, they make great doctors, nurses, social workers,
ministers, and teachers. This comes from a deep sense of what others are
feeling or experiencing and the inward need to reach out and do
something in order to help them. They are extremely loyal in
friendships; there is an old saying that goes like this: “If you have a
Melancholy for a friend, you have a friend for life.” Most Melancholies
have a low self-image, are inclined toward depression, think
“self-promotion” is tacky, are continually into “fixing themselves,” are
notoriously “guilty” (they have an over-active conscious), and tend to
worry much too often about their health. The Bible characters that seem
to best fit the characteristics of a Melancholy are Moses and Abraham.
In addition to the following characteristics listed below, the
Melancholy is essentially described as being
organizational and an
introvert…
• Is self-conscious, easily embarrassed, timid, bashful.
• Avoids talking before a group; when obliged to he finds it difficult.
• Prefers to work and play alone. Good in details; careful.
• Is deliberative; slow in making decisions; perhaps overcautious even in minor matters.
• Is lacking in self-confidence and initiative; compliant and yielding.
• Tends to detachment from environment; reserved and distant except to intimate friends.
• Tends to depression; frequently moody or gloomy; very sensitive; easily hurt.
• Does not form acquaintances readily; prefers narrow range of friends; somewhat exclusionary.
• Worries over possible misfortune; crosses bridges before coming to them.
• Is secretive; seclusive; shut in; not inclined to speak unless spoken to.
• Is slow in movement; deliberative or perhaps indecisive; moods frequent and constant.
• Often represents himself at a disadvantage; modest and unassuming.
Closing note to this section:
The biblical characters listed above — Joseph, Timothy, Barnabas,
David, Peter, Paul, James, Titus, Martha, Moses, and Abraham — obviously
possessed temperaments other than the one attributed to them. These
individuals were chosen because of the behavioral tendencies they
demonstrated at various times in biblical history.
THE VARIOUS “TEMPERAMENT COMBINATIONS”
Following
are the various temperament combinations and what they look like when
they are combined together. Once you have identified your
“primary temperament” and
the temperament that is a close second for you, you are then ready to
see how the two temperaments look when joined together. When looking at
the various temperament options below, your
“primary temperament” will be listed
first — for example, if your primary temperament is a Sanguine and your runner-up temperament is a Choleric, they would be listed as
“San/Chol” under the heading “Sanguine,”
not as
“Chol/San” under
the heading “Choleric” (your secondary temperament); your primary
temper-ament needs to be listed first. The corresponding results of the
combinations listed can be found on the following website if interested:
http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Warfield2.html
SANGUINE
San/Chol
– This is the strongest “extrovert” of all the blends because both
primary types are extroverted. They are people-oriented and enthusiastic
but with the resolutions of the Choleric tempering the lack of
organization of the Sanguine. He is almost always a sports enthusiast
and is ideal in sales. He can talk too much and can be obnoxious if
threatened. The forgetfulness of the Sanguine and the caustic nature of
the Choleric may make them hurtful without realizing it.
San/Mel
– They are highly emotional people whose moods can fluctuate from highs
to lows and back again quickly. The Sanguine’s outgoing nature often
allows the Melancholy's critical nature to surface too easily. It is
very easy for a San/Mel to "get down" on themselves, and to realize
their potential, it is best that they work with others.
San/Phleg
– The overpowering outgoing nature of the Sanguine is tempered by the
gracious Phlegmatic. These are extremely happy and carefree individuals
who live to help people. They would not purposely hurt anyone but they
must fight a lack of workplace motivation; they would rather visit than
work.
CHOLERIC
Chol/San
– The second strongest extrovert is an active and purposeful
individual; he is almost fearless and has high levels of energy.
Whatever his profession, his brain is always active and engaged. His
weaknesses combine the quick anger of the Sanguine with the resentment
of the Choleric. He gets AND gives ulcers. He may leave people
(including spouse and children) shell-shocked and resentful because of
his angry outbursts.
Chol/Mel
– The Choleric/Melancholy is very industrious and capable. He is both
Industrious and detailed. He combines verbal aggressiveness with sharp
attention to detail. He is very competitive and forceful. He can be
autocratic and opinionated with work habits that keep after details
until the job is completely finished. He finds interpersonal
relationships difficult due to the hard-to-please nature of the Choleric
and the perfectionistic nature of the Melancholy.
Chol/Phleg
– This is the most subdued of the outgoing temperaments. He is
extremely capable in the long run though he may not impress you that way
at first. He is organized and a good planner. He often gets more
accomplished than other temperaments because he always thinks in terms
of enlisting others to help him. His weaknesses include a tendency to
quietly harbor bitterness rather than letting it out. Acknowledging
weaknesses is difficult for him and he tends to worry about his
performance in life activities.
PHLEGMATIC
Phleg/San – This is the easiest to get along with being congenial, happy, and people-oriented.
They make excellent administrators and other jobs that involve getting along with people. He may
lack motivation and discipline and may fall short of his true capabilities. He may "putter around"
for years without making progress.
Phleg/Chol
– This is the most active of the introverts but he'll never be a ball
of fire. He can be an excellent counselor because he is an active
listener. He is practical and helpful and patient. He may lack
motivation and may become stubborn if threatened. He may also have a
tendency toward being sedentary and passive. He needs to be around other
people as he is externally motivated.
Phleg/Mel
– This is gracious and quiet, does the proper thing and is dependable.
He wobbles between patience and criticism and may tend toward
negativism. They can be afraid of over-extending themselves so may avoid
involvement in a group.
MELANCHOLY
Mel/San
– They are detailed and organized; the Melancholy is tempered by the
outgoing and warm Sanguine. He makes an excellent teacher as his
organized side is well versed in the facts and his Sanguine side makes
him enjoyable to listen to. If he goes into sales it will be sales that
calls for exacting detail and the presentation of many facts. He is an
emotional person – from being moved to tears to being critical and hard
on others. Both temperaments can be fearful which may make this an
insecure person with a poor self image.
Mel/Chol
– This is both a perfectionist and a driver which may lead him into law
or medicine. They mix decisiveness and determination. Because of the
critical nature of the Melancholy they may be very difficult to please.
If they become negative about someone or something it will have a
tendency to stay with them for a long time. Their combination can lead
them to "nit-pick" others and be revengeful to those they have a grudge
against.
Mel/Phleg – These are often teachers and scholars. They are not as prone to hostility as other
Melancholy
blends and combine analysis with organization. They make excellent
accountants and bookkeepers. Unfortunately he can become easily
discouraged and may be susceptible to fear and anxiety. They may become
uncooperative because of stubborn, rigid tendencies.
