TEMPERAMENT In psychology,temperament refers to those aspects of an individuals personality, such as introversion or extroversion, that are often regarded as innate rather than learned. A great many classificatory schemes for temperament have been developed; none, though, has achieved general consensus in academia. Historically, the concept of temperament was part of the theory of the four humours, with their corresponding four temperaments. The concept played an important part in pre- modern psychology, and was explored by philosophers such as Immanuel Kantand Hermann Lotze. David W. Keirseyalso drew upon the early models of temperament when developing the Keirsey Temperament Sorter. More recently, scientists seeking evidence of a biological basis of personality have further examined the relationship between temperament and character (defined in this context as the learnt aspects of personality). However, biological correlations have proven hard to confirm. Overview Temperament is determined through specific behavioural profiles, usually focusing on those that are both easily measurable and testable early in childhood. Commonly tested factors include irritability, activity, frequency of smiling, and an approach or avoidant posture to unfamiliar events. There is generally a low correlation between descriptions by teachers and behavioural observations by scientists of features used in determining temperament. Temperament is hypothesized to be associated with biological factors, but these have proven difficult to test directly. Four Temperaments Four temperaments is a proto- psychological theory that suggests that there are four fundamental personality types. *Sanguine(pleasure-seeking and sociable) *Choleric(ambitious and leader-like) *Melancholic(analytical and thoughtful), and *Phlegmatic(relaxed and quiet). Most formulations include the possibility of mixtures of the types.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 22:08:03 +0000
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