Temperament is an individual pattern of emotional, physical and attentional responses to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, etc., as well as a typical pattern of self-regulation of emotions, behaviour and attention.

Temperament: history

Since the ancient medicine of Hippocrates or Galen, four temperaments were distinguished, which were at the same time mental expressions of the four main humours of the body:

1. Sanguine from Latin sanguis – blood, strength:

   • Changing fickle mood.

2. Melancholic, from Greek melas – black and chole – bile:

   • Gusher, hypochondriac, inclination to melancholy and gloom.

3. Choleric from Greek chole – yellow and white bile:

   • Fierce willed, excited emotional person.

4. Phlegmatic, from Greek phlegma – burn, phlegm:

   • Slow, equally valid or apathetic flow of feeling, cold of will.

Temperament: today

Today, temperament is often regarded as one of seven essential sub-areas of personality: Among them, traits are preferably counted that denote the style of action, among others cheerfulness or impulsiveness. This understanding stems from the factor theories of personality.

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According to Gilford’s factor theory, personality consists of a unique structure of traits. He divides these traits into seven modalities:

1. Morphology: height and weight,

2. Physiology: pulse, metabolism,

3. Needs: constant desires for certain states: such as comfort,

4. Attitudes: constant positions and opinions about social facts,

5. Interests: constant desires for certain activities,

6. Aptitudes: the ability to perform certain activities and

7. Temperament: qualities that characterize the style of behaviour and action.

Source:

Dorsch, Friedrich – Hrsg. (1994). Psychologisches Wörterbuch (12. überarb. u. erw. Aufl.). Hans Huber.