The four temperaments has its roots in an ancient theory about the four humors; black bile (gr. melan chole), yellow bile (gr. chole), phlegm (gr. phlegma), and blood (lat. sanguis). The Greek physician Hippocrates developed it from either the Egyptians or the Mesopotamians, but Tim La Haye wrote a book about the four temperaments in 1966 and made it semi-popular especially among Christians. My parents read the books, so I grew up understanding my temperament and trying to figure out others. Jim knew enough about them for the two of us to discuss them especially when it came to our children.
I don't believe the temperaments are static. We move in life from one quadrant toward another as we age, especially as young children. Early on we believed Erika to be a Choleric because of her strong will. Little did we understand what a strong willed child was until Jessi was born. Erika was not strong willed at all, but she was an extrovert early on and as she matured she became increasingly introvert, but never painfully shy. She has always been a people person though. I found it difficult to just box my kids in because there was a fluidity to their temperament but it's still fun to plug them in to the theory.
Erika is a phlegmatic, through and through--although early in her life we expected her to be more of a sanguine like me because of her easiness with people. However, she is not a sanguine but a very phlegmatic who tends to be self-content and kind, very accepting and affectionate. She prefers stability to uncertainty and change. Erika is very consistent, relaxed, rational, curious, and observant. She is not a traveler and has stated she would be very happy to spend the rest of her life in Madison, WI. The only aggression one gets from a real phlegmatic is very passive aggressive.
Jessi has always been our wild card. Both Jim and I have debated who she is more like. I am a sanguine which is a fairly extroverted personality and Jim is a melancholy which is a somewhat introverted loner. Jessi has exhibited both tendencies. As she continues to mature, it is clear that she has much more in common with Jim than me. The two of them love to travel and have such a wanderlust for life. While Jim's creativity expressed itself most in his music in his youth, he is now a very creative writer and Jessi is also a creative writer who loves poetry and art. While Melancholies become preoccupied with goals and so involved in what they are doing they forget to think of others, the Choleric is also motivated by goals, but they learn to use other people as tools to attain their goals. I think Jessika has choleric tendencies to her melancholy disposition. A person who is choleric is a do-er and has a lot of ambition, energy, passion, and they try to instil it in others. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types. They like to be leaders and in charge of everything. Melancholies on the other hand have a low need to be included by others and are often self-reliant, independent and may reject others before risking rejection. I think it will be interesting to see where she ends up as an adult.
I have always known Monika to be an introvert, the most of the 5 of us. Since she was a baby I have seen her the most serious and the most inclined to deep, thoughts and reflection. Like Jim (and my father) she is a melancholic personality but so different from Jessi. Monika is much more driven by laws and principles, more comfortable alone and in silence. She is very introspective and always despises the lime-light (or taking photos) and she would rather withdraw and let others receive recognition whereas Jessi would bask in it.
Whereas Jim is a true Melancholy, I am a true Sanguine. We are opposites and opposites attract. I see the two of us moving toward each other as we age interestingly enough. I enjoy social gatherings, making new friends and tend to be quite loud. Sanguines can be very sensitive, compassionate and thoughtful. Sanguine personalities generally struggle with following tasks all the way through, are chronically late (something I have learned not to do), and tend to be forgetful and sometimes a little sarcastic. I put a little chart together, just for fun. It will be interesting to see how this chart changes in 10 years. Believe me, it will.
Comments