The Four Personality Types
The study of Personality Types has fascinated people for centuries; to better communicate with our friends, family, partners, acquaintances and to try to understand ourselves.
In order to understand each other, to communicate more effectively and even to understand ourselves, it is often helpful to examine the four basic personality types. These types, also known as temperaments, date back to the time of Hippocrates (460 BC –0370 BC) who was a physician in ancient Greece.
Considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of human health, he is referred to as the "father of medicine" in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field. He was the founder of the Hippocratic school of medicine and wrote the Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors today.
The four temperaments are: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic and Phlegmatic. Modern day Psychologist and writer Florence Littauer has described the personality types in terms that are more easily remembered: Peacock, Eagle, Owl and Dove. Her book “Personality Plus” is well worth reading, it’s one of my personal favorites!
When we identify a personality type we aren’t labelling people. We can’t know what a person is inside, or what they are in a different situation; we simply want to identify what trait they are exhibiting at the moment in order to communicate effectively with them. Let’s take a look at each personality trait, remembering that people are seldom only one trait but are, in fact, a combination of the four. You can usually spot the dominant trait of the people you know, and if you watch you will see also the times when they are exhibiting a different personality trait.
The Four Temperaments
1. Sanguine – Peacock: A person who is sanguine is generally light hearted, fun loving, a people person, loves to entertain, spontaneous and confident. However, they can be arrogant, cocky and indulgent, day-dreamy, impulsive, often acting on whims in an unpredictable fashion. Like the peacock, this person loves to be in the spotlight and will be the best storyteller, even to the point of “fabricating” some of the story for effect.
2. Choleric – Eagle: A person who is choleric is a natural born leader. They have a lot of ambition, energy, passion and they try to instill it in others. They can be very dominant, goal oriented and they are great in an emergency. The choleric person can also be quick to anger, impatient, bossy and often rude or tactless.
3. Melancholic – Owl: Often very kind and considerate, melancholics can be highly creative, as in poetry and art – but also can become overly pre-occupied with details and facts. The melancholic person is a perfectionist, being very particular about what they want and how they want it in. These people are deep, thoughtful, analytical, serious and purposeful.
4. Phlegmatic – Dove: A phlegmatic person is calm, easygoing, relaxed, patient, not easily upset. They are good listeners, good mediators and good administrators and diplomats. While phlegmatics are generally self-content and kind, their shy personality can often inhibit enthusiasm in others and make themselves lazy and resistant to change. Like the sanguine/peacock, the phlegmatic usually has many friends. However, the phlegmatic/dove is more reliable and compassionate – often a more dependable friend.
Communicating With Each Personality Type
It’s important to have some general guidelines for communicating with each personality type so that you can get your point across in a manner that they will understand and relate to, and at the same time you can understand what they are trying to say to you. By identifying your own personality traits you can understand how you come across to someone else.
Sanguine/Peacock:
The sanguine/peacock is the clown in the bunch. This is a person that needs to have the spotlight for a while – that’s okay, let them have it; listen to them, thank them for their input, and when they have wound down continue on with what you need to say. By meeting their needs first you will go farther to meeting your own.
If you are the “peacock” be aware that you tend to talk over people, taking the spotlight for yourself maybe a bit too often. Try to give the others the time they need to feel comfortable talking to you.
Choleric/Eagle:
Eagles are the bossy ones, they are usually right and if they aren’t they are convinced they are anyway. They will probably have lots of suggestions for how to do things better, they want to be heard and they want respect. Listen attentively and with respect to their ideas, and when you tell them yours remember that they don’t want a big long story, like a peacock might. If you try to give them a long, detailed story you’ll lose their interest before you even get to the final conclusions.
If you are the “eagle” be aware that you often run right over top of people, not even noticing that they are there. You need to soften up, realize that once in a while you may not be right and you, most of all, need to learn to listen to others, even if they aren’t as quick as you. Patience is hard for you to exercise, but the reward will be much more effective communicating.
Melancholic/Owl:
Owls are the serious ones. They have thought out the problem and when they have questions they want lots of details. Treat them seriously, answer them in detail and understand that if you don’t give them all the information they need they will not take you seriously. When you have finished talking to a melancholic/owl, give them time to ponder and assess the details before responding.
If you are the “owl” you need to realize that most people are not interested in every detail and most people don’t put as much emphasis on perfect as you do. You need to be tolerant of the others and try to lighten up a bit.
Phlegmatic/Dove:
This person is usually very quiet and you won’t hear much from them. However, quiet people appreciate when others notice their concerns and take the time to listen to them. It is important not to “overshadow” or “bully” the phlegmatic or their natural shyness will cause them to withdraw. You need to be calm and quiet yourself to communicate effectively with the phlegmatic/dove so as not to “frighten” them away.
If you are the “dove” everyone else has probably unloaded all their “stuff” on you because you listen. You also need to be listened to once in a while. You would benefit from learning assertiveness – there are lots of books and programs to help you here. Recognize your contribution to society, you are loved, and don’t be afraid to ask for what you need as well…sometimes the others just don’t hear you.
People sometimes say, “I don’t know why I have to be the one to alter my ways to communicate with them” or “I think that my partner should know how to communicate with me”. In the end does it matter who figures it out first? The goal is to be able to communicate effectively with your partner so that you both can get on with a happy, loving relationship – take the first step!
References:
*Wikipedia – online encyclopedia
*Florence Littauer – Personality Plus (Ms. Littauer has written extensively on effective communications, and improving relationships, including marriage – I highly recommend her books)
In order to understand each other, to communicate more effectively and even to understand ourselves, it is often helpful to examine the four basic personality types. These types, also known as temperaments, date back to the time of Hippocrates (460 BC –0370 BC) who was a physician in ancient Greece.
Considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of human health, he is referred to as the "father of medicine" in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field. He was the founder of the Hippocratic school of medicine and wrote the Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors today.
The four temperaments are: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic and Phlegmatic. Modern day Psychologist and writer Florence Littauer has described the personality types in terms that are more easily remembered: Peacock, Eagle, Owl and Dove. Her book “Personality Plus” is well worth reading, it’s one of my personal favorites!
When we identify a personality type we aren’t labelling people. We can’t know what a person is inside, or what they are in a different situation; we simply want to identify what trait they are exhibiting at the moment in order to communicate effectively with them. Let’s take a look at each personality trait, remembering that people are seldom only one trait but are, in fact, a combination of the four. You can usually spot the dominant trait of the people you know, and if you watch you will see also the times when they are exhibiting a different personality trait.
The Four Temperaments
1. Sanguine – Peacock: A person who is sanguine is generally light hearted, fun loving, a people person, loves to entertain, spontaneous and confident. However, they can be arrogant, cocky and indulgent, day-dreamy, impulsive, often acting on whims in an unpredictable fashion. Like the peacock, this person loves to be in the spotlight and will be the best storyteller, even to the point of “fabricating” some of the story for effect.
2. Choleric – Eagle: A person who is choleric is a natural born leader. They have a lot of ambition, energy, passion and they try to instill it in others. They can be very dominant, goal oriented and they are great in an emergency. The choleric person can also be quick to anger, impatient, bossy and often rude or tactless.
3. Melancholic – Owl: Often very kind and considerate, melancholics can be highly creative, as in poetry and art – but also can become overly pre-occupied with details and facts. The melancholic person is a perfectionist, being very particular about what they want and how they want it in. These people are deep, thoughtful, analytical, serious and purposeful.
4. Phlegmatic – Dove: A phlegmatic person is calm, easygoing, relaxed, patient, not easily upset. They are good listeners, good mediators and good administrators and diplomats. While phlegmatics are generally self-content and kind, their shy personality can often inhibit enthusiasm in others and make themselves lazy and resistant to change. Like the sanguine/peacock, the phlegmatic usually has many friends. However, the phlegmatic/dove is more reliable and compassionate – often a more dependable friend.
Communicating With Each Personality Type
It’s important to have some general guidelines for communicating with each personality type so that you can get your point across in a manner that they will understand and relate to, and at the same time you can understand what they are trying to say to you. By identifying your own personality traits you can understand how you come across to someone else.
Sanguine/Peacock:
The sanguine/peacock is the clown in the bunch. This is a person that needs to have the spotlight for a while – that’s okay, let them have it; listen to them, thank them for their input, and when they have wound down continue on with what you need to say. By meeting their needs first you will go farther to meeting your own.
If you are the “peacock” be aware that you tend to talk over people, taking the spotlight for yourself maybe a bit too often. Try to give the others the time they need to feel comfortable talking to you.
Choleric/Eagle:
Eagles are the bossy ones, they are usually right and if they aren’t they are convinced they are anyway. They will probably have lots of suggestions for how to do things better, they want to be heard and they want respect. Listen attentively and with respect to their ideas, and when you tell them yours remember that they don’t want a big long story, like a peacock might. If you try to give them a long, detailed story you’ll lose their interest before you even get to the final conclusions.
If you are the “eagle” be aware that you often run right over top of people, not even noticing that they are there. You need to soften up, realize that once in a while you may not be right and you, most of all, need to learn to listen to others, even if they aren’t as quick as you. Patience is hard for you to exercise, but the reward will be much more effective communicating.
Melancholic/Owl:
Owls are the serious ones. They have thought out the problem and when they have questions they want lots of details. Treat them seriously, answer them in detail and understand that if you don’t give them all the information they need they will not take you seriously. When you have finished talking to a melancholic/owl, give them time to ponder and assess the details before responding.
If you are the “owl” you need to realize that most people are not interested in every detail and most people don’t put as much emphasis on perfect as you do. You need to be tolerant of the others and try to lighten up a bit.
Phlegmatic/Dove:
This person is usually very quiet and you won’t hear much from them. However, quiet people appreciate when others notice their concerns and take the time to listen to them. It is important not to “overshadow” or “bully” the phlegmatic or their natural shyness will cause them to withdraw. You need to be calm and quiet yourself to communicate effectively with the phlegmatic/dove so as not to “frighten” them away.
If you are the “dove” everyone else has probably unloaded all their “stuff” on you because you listen. You also need to be listened to once in a while. You would benefit from learning assertiveness – there are lots of books and programs to help you here. Recognize your contribution to society, you are loved, and don’t be afraid to ask for what you need as well…sometimes the others just don’t hear you.
People sometimes say, “I don’t know why I have to be the one to alter my ways to communicate with them” or “I think that my partner should know how to communicate with me”. In the end does it matter who figures it out first? The goal is to be able to communicate effectively with your partner so that you both can get on with a happy, loving relationship – take the first step!
References:
*Wikipedia – online encyclopedia
*Florence Littauer – Personality Plus (Ms. Littauer has written extensively on effective communications, and improving relationships, including marriage – I highly recommend her books)