Additional Information
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The Four Temperaments
The four temperaments were originally proposed by Hippocrates (the
"father of medical science") 350 years before the birth of Christ, to
explain differences in personalities, based on the predominant bodily
fluid—hence the rather unappealing names: choleric, sanguine,
phlegmatic, and melancholic. Even today these same terms are used to
describe temperament, by which we mean an individual's tendency to
react in a certain way throughout their life, forming an identifiable
pattern. For example, the choleric tends to react quickly and
intensely, and to take action immediately and decisively. The sanguine
is your classic "people person," known for their warmth, enthusiasm,
and cheerful optimism. The melancholic is deeply thoughtful and
analytic, slow to respond, skeptical, sensitive, and idealistic. The
phlegmatic is usually a "peace-maker"—slow to react, calm, cooperative,
and reserved.
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