The Four Temperaments--The Phlegmatic And Mixed Temperaments

 

To My Readers: I have received several requests for posts on the subject of The Four Temperaments. This week's post is the eighth and final installment to this most important and interesting topic. I hopefully have done some justice to presenting the Four Temperaments. 

I want to acknowledge that I take no credit for the posts on this topic. My primary sources will be from theologian Schagemann and his work entitled Manual of Self-Knowledge and Christian Perfection (1913).  Also, the work of theologian Hock The Four Temperaments (1934) will be used throughout this series of posts, with various other sources. I take absolutely no credit whatsoever for the content of this post (or for any of the ones in this series). All I did was condense the material of these theologians into a terse post that hopefully will be advantageous for  those looking for information, but without time to read an entire book or two from the pre-Vatican II era on the subject.

God bless you all, my dear readers---Introibo

The Phlegmatic Temperament and Mixed Temperaments

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PHLEGMATIC TEMPERAMENT

The soul or mind of the phlegmatic person is only weakly or not at all touched by impressions. The reaction is feeble or entirely missing. Eventual impressions fade away very soon.

FUNDAMENTAL DISPOSITION OF THE PHLEGMATIC PERSON

1. He has very little interest in whatever goes on about him.

2. He has little inclination to work, but prefers repose and leisure. With him everything proceeds and develops slowly.

BRIGHT SIDE OF THE PHLEGMATIC TEMPERAMENT

1. The phlegmatic works slowly, but perseveringly, if his work does not require much thinking.

2. He is not easily exasperated either by offenses, or by failures or sufferings. He remains composed, thoughtful, deliberate, and has a cold, sober, and practical judgment.

3. He has no intense passions and does not demand much of life.

DARK SIDE OF THE PHLEGMATIC TEMPERAMENT

1. He is very much inclined to ease, to eating and drinking; is lazy and neglects his duties.

2. He has no ambition, and does not aspire to lofty things, not even in his piety.

CONSIDERATIONS IN THE TRAINING & TREATMENT OF A PHLEGMATIC

The training of phlegmatic children is very difficult, because external influence has little effect upon them and internal personal motives are lacking. It is necessary to explain everything most minutely to them, and repeat it again and again, so that at least some impression may be made to last, and to accustom them by patience and charity to follow strictly a well-planned rule of life. The application of corporal punishment is less dangerous in the education of phlegmatic children; it is much more beneficial to them than to other children, especially to those of choleric or melancholic temperament.

CONSIDERATIONS IN THE TRAINING AND TREATMENT OF ADULT PHLEGMATICS

 It is absolutely necessary incessantly to arouse him to make efforts to acquire the true love of God. The spiritual director will find the greatest difficulty in deciding whether such subjects have a true vocation for a religious life. The director must endeavor to instill a great confidence in the assistance of divine grace in such subjects. They can, and will, then make persevering efforts for their own good and that of many others. They will labor quietly and unostentatiously, but still earnestly, to acquire Christian perfection and true love of God. 

Mixed Temperaments

Most people have a mixed temperament. Some persons, however, have one predominant temperament, for instance, the choleric; but the fundamental characteristics, the light and dark sides of this principal temperament are extenuated or accentuated by the influence of the other temperaments. In general a person is happier if his temperament is not a pure one. The combination smoothes the rough edges of the main temperament. In order to facilitate the recognition of one's own temperament these mixtures of temperaments are herewith mentioned briefly.

1. In the choleric-sanguine temperament the excitement is quick, and the reaction also; but the impression is not so lasting as with the pure choleric temperament. The pride of the choleric is mixed with vanity; the anger and obstinacy are not so strong, but more moderate than in the pure choleric. This is a very happy combination.

2. The sanguine-choleric temperament is similar to the choleric-sanguine temperament; only the sanguine characteristics prevail, the choleric ones recede to the background. Excitement and reaction are quick and vehement and the impression does not fade so quickly as with the pure sanguine, even though it does not penetrate so far as with the pure choleric. The sanguine fickleness, superficiality, extroversion, and garrulity are mitigated by the seriousness and stability of the choleric.

3. The choleric-melancholic and the melancholic-choleric temperaments. In this one, two serious, passionate temperaments are mixed; the pride, obstinacy, and anger of the choleric with the morose, unsocial, reserved temper of the melancholic. Persons who have such a mixture of temperaments must cultivate a great deal of self-control, in order to acquire interior peace and not to become a burden to those with whom they work and live.

4. The melancholic-sanguine temperament. In this the impressions are feeble, the reaction is weak, and it does not last as long as with the pure melancholic. The sanguine gives to the melancholic something flexible, friendly, cheerful. The melancholic persons with a sanguine alloy are those cordial, soft-hearted people who cannot bear to hurt anyone, are quickly touched, hut unfortunately also fail where energy and strength are needed. Sanguine persons with a melancholic mixture are similar. Only in this case the sanguine superficiality and inconstancy prevail.

5. The melancholic-phlegmatic temperament. People of this type succeed better in community life than the pure melancholic. They lack, more or less, the morose, gloomy, brooding propensity of the melancholic and are happily aided by the quiet apathy of the phlegmatic. Such people do not easily take offense; they can readily bear injuries and are contented and steady laborers.

Conclusion

This concludes an eight-part series on the Four Temperaments, as taught by two learned and approved theologians. It is my sincere hope that all my readers derived some good from reading about this subject.