TEMPERAMENT;

WHY YOU ACT THE WAY YOU DO

Presented by
Francis Kofi Somuah
(BA. Psychology)
OBJECTIVES
• What Temperament is

• Types of Temperament

• Identify your Temperament

• Why know your temperaments

What is Temperament
• They are our patterns of behaviour… the ways we
usually respond to situations

• According to Psychologists, the innate aspects of

an individuals personality such as introversion or
extroversion is termed Temperament.

• It is also defined as a persons nature, ones usual

way of thinking or acting

• They are instinctive or natural behaviours, rather

than learned behaviours
The Temperament Types
The Temperament Types (Contd..)
Four types of temperament have been identified

• CHOLERIC

• PHLEGMATIC

• SANGUINE

• MENLANCHOLIC

• (SUPINE) – recently discovered

The Temperament Types (Contd..)
• All of us have all four temperaments within us

• But one or two of them is/are dominant

• They control our actions and behaviour

• They have their strengths and weaknesses

• None of them is good or bad, it depends on how

you use them
CHOLERIC (FIRE)
(Destructive Temperament) – Extrovert leader
• According to scholars, Choleric is the most
powerful and destructive temperament.
• They tend to be users
• They do not forget easily
• They are very quick tempered
• They seldom change their mind even if they are wrong
• They want total control over themselves and everyone
around them.
CHOLERIC (Contd…)
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Activists(take part in public • Quick tempered
events) • Offensive
• Opportunist • Proud
• Hard driving • Cruel
• Optimistic/confident • Rash decision making
• Perfectionist • Rude
• Friendly • Self centered
• Tough minded
• Fearless
• Action oriented
The Special Role of the Choleric
• In organisations, they become very good executive
officers
• They are very good producers
• They can be very good building engineers
• Very good materials for politics
• In the religious organisations, they become very
good evangelists and prophets
• They become very good opinion leaders in society
• In marriage they play very high romantic roles
PHLEGMATIC (WATER)
(Peace Maker)

• This is the only temperament that is basically moderate

• They are very peaceful at heart making them great assets
social, political, friendship, business etc.
• They seldom use ideas and talents they have because it
requires to much energy and active participation.
• They sit back and watch other temperaments busy doing
things wrongly and looking at all the wrong things in the
world that need to be changed
• They easily identify the injustice but hardly take any action
Phlegmatic (Contd…)
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Peace loving and peace maker • Uninvolving
• Even tempered • Not opportunists
• Balanced (adjust to every • Indecisive
situation) • Unemotional and inexpressive
• Kind hearted • Rarely self sacrificing(do not
• Even loving want to sacrifice themselves
• Do not discriminate for affection)
• Easy going • Unwillingness to become
• Not demanding involved in deep relationships
• Witty with people of the opposite sex
• consistent • Procrastination
• Verbal defences
The Special Role of the Phlegmatic
• They can be good teachers or educators
• They play effective roles in leadership
• They are mostly scientists
• They enjoy meticulous work; any work that need
carefulness and planning
• They become very good diplomats and good
administrators
• Become very good accountants
• They are very good pastors
SANGUINE (AIR) – Extrovert leader
(Quick tempered)
• A sanguine is an extrovert who has a high
need to include and be close to others.
• A sanguine is always cheerful, hopeful, confident
and expect the best in everything he/she does in
life. They always enjoy life
• A sanguine never thinks of failure or loss in
everything
• They are authoritative or autocratic
Sanguine (Contd…)
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

• Enjoy life and always happy • forgetful

• Unreliable
• Optimistic/confident
• Naïve (behave like children or
• Excel in communication people without experience
oriented things • They do not want to be alone
• Talkative • Superficial (Surface thinking)
• Very demanding
• Warm (have sympathy for
• Unstable
people)
• Exaggeration
• They are approachable • Stubborn
• Sincere and helpful • Does many things at once and does
not always complete
• independent
The Special Role of the Sanguine
• Acting – they can act very well in public
• Sales - they are very good business men and women
• They make excellent masters of ceremonies (MC)
• Very good auctioneers
• Speeches
• Evangelism
• Prophesying
• Fighting or boxing
MELANCHOLIC (EARTH) - introvert
(Perfectionist)

• Melancholic's approach very few people for association and

they do not like to be approached for association.
• They are very selective with whom they socialise.
• According to scholars, melancholics are very family oriented,
closely bonded to individuals within the family unit.
• They see life as a goal to achieve . Due to their intelligence
they predict pitfalls in a project before they undertake it
Melancholic (Contd…)
• They are perfectionists and set very high standards for
themselves and for other people around them.
• They are self motivated and do not respond to the promise of
reward or the threat of punishment
• They become very sad when things go wrong
• Therefore they analyse and plan before done and want it to be
very perfect.
• They can be extremely quiet people who never talk to son,
daughter, or even spouse.
Melancholic (Contd)
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

• Perfectionists • Lonely/private
• Analytical
• Suicidal tendencies
• Great understanding
• Easily depressed
• Self sacrificial
• Aesthetics(show beauty in their ding) • Some times procrastinate
• Gifted(have extraordinary talents) • Revengeful
• Good decision making people
• Emotional
• Good leaders
• They are responsible • Non – romantic (they have sex
• Faithfulness and loyalty with their spouse and not make love to

• Dependable them)

• Deep commitment • Secretive

Special role of the melancholic
• Most of the worlds greatest composers,
inventors, philosophers, theologians, musicians,
artists, educators, medical doctors were
predominantly melancholic.
• Excellent humanitarians
• Authors
• Great Investors
Why Know Your Temperament
Being aware of our temperaments can help us

• To better understand each other’s and our own

behaviours

• To better appreciate and more fully use what gifts we

have

• To appreciate our differences

• To find ways of bridging these differences

• To live peacefully with each other

WHAT TEMPERAMENT DO I HAVE
• We all have all 4 temperaments in us, but in
different mixes

• … with one or two being more dominant

• IDENTIFY YOURS AND BE AT PEACE WITH OTHER

TEMPERAMENTS NOW
QUESTIONS PLEASE...
Recommended Books
• Temperament; what is your temperament, identify your

temperament now (by Joseph Gbedemah)

• Strategic Positioning – by Emmanuel Dei – Tumi

• Why you act the way you do – by Tim LaHaye

• Any introductory text book on psychology

• The BIBLE

• Any other...?