In this short article, I will attempt to boil down what Temperament is and why it is important.
Since the early ages, humans have tried to understand why people behave the way that they do. We see the idea of temperament and the determining behaviors that define the temperament of a person as far back as Hippocrates (c. 460-370 BC). In most forms of temperament theory, there are 4 temperaments that each person fits into. The names may have adapted over the centuries, but the basic theory holds. Many others since Hippocrates have studied temperament including Immanual Kant, Alfred Adler and Eric Fromm to name a few.
In the 1980s, the founders of the National Christian Counselors Association were exploring temperament as a way to help people get quickly to the root of their distress. In their research, they discovered another temperament which had gone unnoticed before and included it into their theory of temperament.
What is temperament? Simply put, temperament is the inborn way that humans interact, react and live in the world. It is the blueprint for how God has designed each person with specific strengths, growth areas and needs. When we understand our temperament and the temperaments of those around us, we can learn to meet the needs we have in godly, healthy, life-giving ways and assist others in recognizing and meeting their needs.
What are the temperaments? Below is a list of the temperaments and some of the defining tendencies of each:
Melancholy – introvert, loner, serious, task oriented, highly independent, good leader in known areas, needs others to be authentic, low self-esteem, self-sacrificing
Choleric – introvert/extrovert, appears people oriented, fast-paced, people motivator, extremely independent, excellent leadership abilities, well organized, externalizes anger, need to receive recognition, give and receive love and affection only on their own terms
Sanguine – extrovert, active, live for today, impulsive, independent/dependent conflict, expressive of emotions, fear rejection, angry outbursts, make others feel special
Phlegmatic – introvert/extrovert, slow-paced, stubborn, good at detailed work, low energy, independent, good negotiator, peacemaker, delegator, observer, emotionally guarded, able to tolerate most people, dry or wry sense of humor
Supine – introvert/extrovert, indirect behaviors, want others to be genuine, gentle spirit, dependent, harbors anger masked as hurt feelings, people pleaser, feel worthless and unlovable, tender-hearted, need others to initiate love and affection
As you read through the temperament tendencies above, you may have thought, “this can’t be true because I see tendencies in more than one temperament.” Well, congratulations, you picked up on some of the complexity of temperament that is nearly impossible to cover in a short article. Humans are complex and we need to be careful about putting people into narrow categories. To help encompass the complexity, there are blended temperaments as well as three distinct areas of temperament where a person may have a different temperament type in each of the three areas.
So, how does this help us? Once we understand our temperament, we are able to live authentically and in ways pleasing to God. We can have grace for ourselves and others. We can celebrate the different strengths we all bring to the table. We can truly understand behaviors and motives of ourselves and others better. We can encourage each other appropriately.
Who can benefit from knowing about temperament? The short answer is everyone. Practically, understanding temperament can improve relationships between spouses, parents and kids, engaged couples, coworkers, friends, church members and anyone else with whom we have contact. It is helpful for individuals to understand their needs, how they make decisions, how they can communicate better, what tendencies they have that others may misunderstand and to accept themselves.
If you would like to learn more about temperament and discover your blueprint, please contact me using the contact form on my website tabletministries.com or by calling or texting 972-694-4753.