Since the time of Hippocrates, researchers have divided people into four types: choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholic, as these natural human characteristics are manifested in thinking, feeling and behavior. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, the great Russian physiologist, connected these four temperaments with the degree of strength of the nervous system: a strong, balanced, mobile type of the nervous system (sanguine); strong balanced inert (phlegmatic); strong unbalanced with a predominance of excitement (choleric); weak type (melancholic). The degree of strength of the nervous system, and accordingly, temperament, is inherited, and I believe that every person will be interested in determining his own temperament - especially since the real temperament can be “disguised” by upbringing and living conditions. And if a person’s lifestyle and activities do not correspond to his temperament, then this can have negative consequences for health, both psychological and physical. In my original research, I have established that if the data on temperament obtained from the finger pattern test, the procedure of which is given below, and from the well-known Eysenck test, there is a reason to believe that the test subject has a condition bordering on neurosis. How to determine temperament? In my opinion, the most reliable test is the “finger pattern test”, developed at Leningrad University under the leadership of academician B.G. Ananyeva. At least in my practice, there were no errors in diagnosing temperament. There are three types of patterns on the pads of a person’s fingers - spirals (see figure), loops and arcs. Examine the pads of your fingers and determine, using the drawing, what patterns are “drawn” on them. Now count how many and what patterns there are on all fingers. If you have all the loops on ten fingers, then you are a phlegmatic person, if there are 5 loops and 5 spirals, then you are a sanguine person, if there are more than five spirals and fewer loops (or if all spirals), then you are a choleric person, but if there are at least one one finger arches, then - melancholic. Let me make a reservation right away that each type of temperament has its own strengths and weaknesses, so you should not think that a sanguine person is “good” and a melancholic person is “bad”. Further, I distinguish another type of “phlegmatic sanguine person”, when there are more than five loops and fewer spirals; these are phlegmatic people, however, in a number of circumstances, showing the traits of a sanguine person. Why do you need to know about temperament? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each temperament? Choleric temperament is manifested in violent emotions, sudden changes in mood, imbalance and general mobility. Sanguine is characterized by mobility, a tendency to frequent mood changes, responsiveness and sociability, although some superficiality. Phlegmatic temperament is manifested in slowness, stability , weak external expression of emotional states. A melancholic person is characterized by slight vulnerability, a tendency to deeply experience even minor events. Now let's move on to discussing what knowledge of temperament - our own and other people's - can give us. After all, any knowledge is needed, in the end, in order to apply it to life. Temperament is rarely found in its “pure” form. A person usually has a mixture of temperament types with a stronger expression of one of them. Knowledge about temperament should first be applied to oneself, identifying the strengths and weaknesses that make themselves felt in one’s own behavior. The “pros” must be recognized and used in life, and the “cons” must be constantly kept under control. For example, a choleric person must always remember that his activity can be destructive; a sanguine person needs to be a little more serious, especially in important matters; a phlegmatic person should remember that it is advisable to act somewhat faster and more flexibly, and a melancholic person should be able to separate failures from catastrophes, troubles from misfortune, a private mistake from the collapse of all life plans. Traitsinnate temperament can be masked by the influence of a variety of life circumstances. They can influence a person so much that he develops reactions that are foreign to his natural temperament. A lively, energetic, unrestrained choleric person can be instilled in the process of education with typical behavioral traits of a melancholic person. On the other hand, there are cases where overload of the nervous system of melancholic people, pressure on their personality, led to the formation of such traits as hot temper, complete disinhibition, and unrestrained expressions. According to my observations of students at school, it turned out that the most uncontrollable hooligans among boys, as a rule, are melancholic. A pronounced phlegmatic person may have outbursts of anger that resemble manifestations of a choleric person. The latter may, in a number of cases, under the influence of life shocks, fall into a state of inhibition or exhibit the mobility of thinking characteristic of a sanguine person. And even melancholic people in some cases can show such energy and determination in actions that would honor a sanguine person. However, even unusual manifestations bear the “stamp” of the original temperament. The anger of a phlegmatic person is not the same as that of a choleric person. In a state of anger, the phlegmatic person comes slowly, phlegmatically, and if the choleric person quickly flares up and quickly moves away, forgets, then the phlegmatic person calms down slowly. The temper of a melancholic person rather looks like capriciousness; it lacks the pressure characteristic of a choleric person. It is impossible to change temperament, but education and self-education can influence the manifestation of reactions of different temperaments, strengthen or weaken their basic properties. For example, education can accustom a choleric person to restraint in expressing his feelings, which is unusual for him. A melancholic person can be instilled with great courage and decisiveness in actions, which, due to hereditary inclinations, is not characteristic of him. How to use knowledge about temperament in communicating with other people and in organizational work? When placing personnel and organizing work, the principle of “mutual complementarity” should be used. Greatest compatibility between people. as well as in marriage and family relationships, is achieved by combining people with opposite temperaments. When organizing working couples, you can proceed from the following principle: it is easiest for a choleric person to work with a sanguine person, a sanguine person with a melancholic person, and a melancholic person with a phlegmatic person. You need to find your own approach to a representative of each temperament and in individual communication, based on the properties of temperament and psychological principles: “NO MINUTE OF PEACE” - The principle of approach to a choleric person. A choleric person should be busy all the time with business (and it is best to do so that he does constructive things found it himself), otherwise he will direct his activity towards the collective and may disintegrate it from within. It is useful to monitor the activities of a choleric person as often as possible; harshness and lack of restraint are unacceptable when working with him, as they can cause a negative response. At the same time, any action he takes must be strictly and fairly assessed. At the same time, negative assessments are necessary only in a very vigorous form and as often as necessary to improve his work or studies. “TRUST, BUT CHECK” - The principle of the approach to a sanguine person. A sanguine person should certainly be given new, if possible interesting, tasks that require concentration and tension from him. It is necessary to constantly include him in active activities and systematically encourage his efforts. A sanguine person can often promise something so as not to offend another, but he does not always fulfill what he promised, so you need to check whether he fulfilled his promise (of course, without anger and tediousness). “DO NOT RUSH” - The principle of the approach to a phlegmatic person. He cannot work under time pressure, he needs an individual pace, so there is no need to rush him, he will calculate his own time and get the job done. A phlegmatic person needs to be involved in active (but, of course, not fussy) activity and interested. He doesn't demand., 2006