Keith E Rice - Dimensions of Temperament

Looking at the four personality types depicted in the graphic above, which most accurately describes you? By 'you', we mean the natural you, the you you don't have to work at, the you which feels most comfortable to you when there are no pressures to be anyone else.

We're talking about the you you were born with: your natural temperamental type. Of course, very, very few people remain totally true to that type in all circumstances - especially when their vMEMES motivate them to do things beyond their temperamental type. (For example, as someone slightly on the Melancholic side, when leading a workshop event, I find my ORANGE's achievement orientation will lead me to perform in an outgoing, even charismatic way that contains little hint of my natural mild Introversion.)

How much you are any one type will depend on where you tend to locate naturally on each of the 2 Dimensions of Neuroticism (Instability) and Extraversion. Most people can and do move along these axes, according to circumstances and especially if those circumstances require a vMEME shift. Though it will take considerable regular reinforcement, people can be conditioned by either positive reward or positive punishment to behave substantially different to natural type. However, as William Moulton Marston pointed out when considering how and why behavioural traits shift, there is always a natural tendency to revert to type when under severe pressure.

The concept of Phlegmatic, Choleric, Melancholic and Sanguine temperamental types has its roots in the ancient Greek medical philosophy of the 4 Humours, popularised in the writings of the Roman physician Claudius Galen. Such is the accuracy of this typing system that it has stood the test of time and has been given a scientifc basis - initially by Wilhelm Wundt, one of the founding fathers of modern Psychology, and then more especially by Dr Ivan Pavlov in his famous work on conditioning dogs. The Pavlovian version has been refined by Dr Hans J Eysenck and it is Eysenck's version* represented in the graphic above.

Eysenck attributed position along the Extraversion axis to the level of electrical stimulation in the cerebral cortex from the reticular activating system; introverts have a lot of internal activity and, therefore, seek a 'quiet life' to avoid further, external stimulation whereas extraverts are proverbial 'emptyheads' who seek external stimulation to fill the void inside. Neuroticism - not to be confused with neurosis (though there may be a relationship) - depends on how easily excited the limbic system's amygdala is. (Take this test: if someone shouts "Fire!", do you go "Oh, yeah.... Where?" (Stable) or have you already jumped through the nearest window to escape before the shout has faded (Unstable)?

A Third Dimension of Psychoticism
Eysenck later identified a third natural Dimension, Psychoticism - not to be confused with psychosis, though they may share characteristics.

People who are very high in Psychoticism are likely to be impulsive, compulsive, totally self-focused, reckless, aggressive, and may display anti-social behaviour and be sexual predators. At the other extreme (which Eysenck sometimes termed Impulse Control), those who are very low in Psychoticism are likely to be very empathetic and caring but may be indecisive and servile to the point of abasement.

If this sounds like there may be a gender element to the extremes of Psychoticism, then that would be reflected in Eysenck's attribution of Psychoticism to the amount of testosterone released into the body via the endocrine system. .

Hans J Eysenck

Testosterone is the most prominent of the male sex hormones - associated with sex drive and aggression - so no suprise that Eysenck found the vast majority high in Psychoticism were male. However, females do have testosterone in their bodies - and some more than others (from hormone washes in the womb and during puberty, plus oestregen converts to testosterone during sexual activity and quite markedly in some women during and after the menopause). Which explains the small(-ish) number of women high in Psychoticism.

The Relevance of Temperament
The work of Eysenck and others in this field, such as Dr Jerome Kagan, is vital to our understanding of the human psyche and the development of Integrated SocioPsychology. Beneath the schemas and meta-states, which can be worked on with Cognitive and NLP-type therapies, lie innate temperamental dispositions. People can be conditioned to go beyond

their innate dispositions and higher vMEMES may lead them to want to go beyond them; but essentially a shy person is always going to be a shy person. They may be less shy with some people in certain circumstances - learned or motivational response - but they have a default shyness (temperamental).

Moreover, it would appear that our temperamental dispositions can influence our preferences in ascending the Spiral and, from the work of Dr Julian Rotter (amongst others), the manner of attribution in forming meta-states.

So, for anyone dealing with people, from parents to therapists to managers, etc, understanding temperamental dispositions and dealing with their less-helpful aspects is a must!

*Note: Eysenck referred to his model as ‘Dimensions of Personality’. ‘Dimensions of Temperament’ is preferred here for clarity. There is considerable debate amongst psychologists as to the precise meaning of ‘personality’ whilst ‘temperament’ seems to be universally understood.

Click here to learn about Integrated SocioPsychology ‘open’ workshop programmes which use Dimensions of Temperament as a key structure.

Temperament Resources

'The Biological Basis of Personality' - Hans J Eysenck (Charles C Thomas, 1967)

The groundbreaking book that established a truly-scientific basis for personality

‘Psychoticism as a Dimension of Personality' - Hans J Eysenck & Sybil Eysenck (Charles C Thomas, 2006)

The Official H J Eysenck Web Site
Run by his son Darrin Evans, it is devoted to promoting Eysenck’s writings and research