Temperament. Character презентация

Temperament
The word "temperament“ comes from Latin "temperare", "to mix".
- individual differences in human motivation and emotion that appear early in life, usually thought to be biological in origin. Temperament is sometimes considered the biological or physiological component of personality, which refers to the sum total of the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social dimensions of an individual.

2. Theories of Temperament
Hippocrates (460 BC – 370 BC)
divided humanity into four basic
temperaments, around the
year 460 BC. Hippocrates saw
the root of one's temperament
as being derived from the humours
dominant in the body: blood (sanguine), bile from the liver (choleric), phlegm (phlegmatic), and bile from the kidneys (melancholic).

Esoteric view
A corresponding view, popular amongst the ancient astrologers and philosophers, would class individuals according to the elements of the natural order: respectively, air, fire, water, and earth.
The ancient theory survives in the
form of such expressions as "being
in a bad (or good) humor."

Humorism
Galen of Pergamon (129 – 199/217)
advanced Hippocrates’ theory,
creating a typology of human
temperaments.
Humorism asserts that each person is born with a basic temperament as determined by which of the four humors tends to predominate in the individual.
Hippocrates’ and Galen’s views
based so-called theory of humorism.

Kretschmer’s theory of temperament
Ernst Kretschmer (1888 —1964)
German psychiatrist.
In his best-known work,
Physique and Character (1921),
he attempted to correlate body
build and physical constitution
with temperament and mental illness, identifying three physical types — the pyknic (rotund), the athletic (muscular), and the asthenic (tall and thin) — and claiming that different psychiatric disorders were associated with each of them.

Sheldon’s theory of temperament
Kretschmer’s system was later
adapted by the American psychologist
William H. Sheldon (1899 – 1977),
who renamed the types endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph and focused on their associated personality traits. Both theorists' work entered into popular culture and generated further research.

I.Pavlov’s views of temperament
I.Pavlov laid the foundations of the contemporary temperament theory. He extended the definitions of the four temperament types under study at the time, updating the names to:
"the strong and impetuous type (choleric),
the strong equilibrated and quiet type (phlegmatic),
the strong equilibrated and lively type (sanguine),
the weak type (melancholic)“.

I.Pavlov’s views of temperament
(continuation)
According to Pavlov, all temperament types responded to the stimuli the same way, but different temperaments move through the responses at different times. He commented "that the most basic inherited difference. .. was how soon they reached this shutdown point and that the quick-to-shut-down have a fundamentally different type of nervous system."

3. Nine temperament characteristics
(A. Thomas and S. Chess, 1977)
Activity refers to the person’s physical energy. This trait can also refer to mental activity, such as deep thinking or reading – activities which become more significant as the person matures.
Regularity, also known as Rhythmicity, refers to the level of predictability in a person’s biological functions, such as waking, becoming tired, hunger, and bowel movements.

Temperament characteristics
(continuation)
Initial reaction. This refers to how the person responds (whether positively or negatively) to new people or environments. Does the person approach people or things in the environment without hesitation?
Adaptability refers to how long it takes the person to adjust to change over time (as opposed to an initial reaction). Does he or she adjust to the changes in their environment easily, or is resistant?

Temperament characteristics
(continuation)
Intensity refers to the energy level of a positive or negative response. Does the person react intensely to a situation, or does he or she respond in a calm and quiet manner?
Mood refers to the person’s general tendency towards a happy or unhappy demeanor. All people have a variety of emotions and reactions. Yet each person biologically tends to have a generally positive or negative outlook.

Temperament characteristics
(continuation)
Distractibility refers to the person’s tendency to be sidetracked by other things going on around them. Does the person get easily distracted by events in the environment, or can he or she concentrate despite the interruptions?
Persistence and attention span refer to the person’s length of time on a task and ability to stay with the task through frustrations – whether he or she stays with an activity for a long period of time or loses interest quickly.

Temperament characteristics
(continuation)
Sensitivity refers to how easily a person is disturbed by changes in the environment (sensory threshold). Is the person bothered by external stimuli like noises, textures, or lights, or does he or she seem to ignore them?

4. Types of Temperament.
Choleric
Enthusiastic, having very high aspirations and cravings for success. The choleric must be the best in everything and have the best of everything. Extremely ambitious, having a keen intellect, a strong will, strong passions, an impulse to dominate others becoming their superior and making them subservient.

Choleric.
Shortcomings
The choleric is commonly prideful, thinking highly of his/her great qualities and even considers his/her faults worthy of praise. Also, is stubborn and has an opinion on everything. The choleric believes he/she is always right. The choleric is confident, believes others are weak, ignorant, incompetent and slow. Upon humiliation the choleric feels hurt resulting in anger, deceit, and judgments towards others.

Choleric.
Virtues
The choleric possesses a sharp, keen intellect and will combine with great enthusiasm. Very successful in his/her profession, working diligently in spite of obstacles. Cholerics are brief, precise, and sure in their speech.

Sanguine
Easily excited by external influences, reacting quickly, although the impression is often short-lived. There is somewhat of a superficiality, lack of depth, in the sanguine personality. The sanguine commonly follows others and has little stability as a result. Fickle in ideas, opinions, and resolutions. The sanguine rarely internalizes his/her focus and instead devotes attention to the external (his/her appearance, and of others, to fashions and manners). The sanguine is full of optimism.

Sanguine.
Shortcomings
Vanity and self-complacency, loving the appearance of his/herself and the praise of others. The sanguine cannot be left alone. There is love of pleasure that accompany the desire to always have someone around to enjoy life with. The sanguine decision are likely to be the wrong decisions, their undertaking fail easily since they believe success is inevitable and will therefore take it for granted, they are unstable, and they have little understanding of themselves since they rarely internalize conflict.

Sanguine.
Virtues
Everyone loves and knows the sanguine. He/she has the most friends and easily makes new friends. The sanguine is extremely friendly, pleasant, and willing to accommodate. Is often found entertaining others, is compassionate towards others, and is graced with the gift of calling others out on their faults without bringing humiliation or displeasure. Rarely shows resentment or defiance. Wishes the best for everyone.

Melancholic
The Melancholic is easily excited by things.
However, the initial reaction of excitement is weak, but the impression remains long and grows stronger. Such person is inclined to deep thoughts and reflection, is very profound and is not satisfied with the superficial. The melancholic is most comfortable alone, and in silence. He/she is very introspective. Melancholics are commonly passive, reserved, irresolute, despondent, slow in thought and speech. They would rather withdraw and let others receive recognition, even when they are praise worthy.

Melancholic.
Shortcomings
Easily falls into mental distress. They are inclined to despair, intense expressions of grief, and occurrences of depression. This can result in self-pity, and he/she may become a burden to friends and family, can also lose confidence in others, specifically superiors. He/she is suspicious, lacks trust in people and fears that everyone is out to get him/her. He/she is pessimistic about everything.

Melancholic.
Virtues
Loves solitude and is often productive in solitary hobbies encompassing arts, crafts, writing, contributing deep and profound thoughts and ideas to poetics, science and legislation, etc. Melancholics are excellent counselors and encouragers to friends, they are trustworthy and genuine. They are willing to make extreme sacrifices for the sake of others.

Phlegmatic
Not moved by impressions at all; the reaction is missing, or empty, and they fade quickly. There is little interest in what is going on around him/her. Loves leisure, and is often unmotivated to work. Everything proceeds at a slow pace.

Phlegmatic.
Shortcomings and virtues
Inclined to things that require little to no effort, eating, drinking, is lazy, and neglects duties. Often misses opportunities, has no ambition and no aspirations in life.
Perseverant. Not easily offended, and not moved by failures or sufferings. Always maintains composure, is thoughtful and deliberate. He/she has a sober, objective, rational, and practical judgment. Demands little in life, and has not intense passions.

5. Character
The word “character” comes from Greek “kharakter” - "engraved mark“
Character refers to the sum of the characteristics possessed by a person in society. It is a system of stable personality qualities acquired and revealed by a person in social activity.

The character structure
- is a system of relatively permanent traits that are manifested in the specific ways that an individual relates and reacts to others, to various kinds of stimuli, and to the environment

Temperament and Character
(differences)
1. Temperament is biologically determined (by the type of a person’s nervous system) and inherited where character is a product of the social environment.

(continuation)
2. Temperamental features may be identified from early childhood, whereas character is shaped in later periods of development.

(continuation)
3. Individual differences in temperamental traits like anxiety, extraversion-introversion, and stimulus-seeking are also observed in animals, whereas character is the prerogative of humans.

See:
Maksymenko S. D. General psychology. – Vinnytsya, Nova Khvylya, 2005. – P. 272-281
To study the topic
“Character Structure”