Understand Your Temperament! A Guide to the Four Temperaments : Choleric, Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Melancholic by Dr. Gilbert Childs

by Gilbert Childs

How can we better understand ourselves and others? The classical concept of the four temperaments―the four personality types characterized as the fiery choleric, the airy sanguine, the watery phlegmatic and the earthy melancholic―has been revered by many significant thinkers over the ages. In a refreshing treatment, Dr. Childs demonstrates that this ancient doctrine remains relevant to our modern lives. He shows how we can recognize the temperaments in others, as well as in ourselves, and how to understand the ways in which they function. Understanding their influences can boost personal development and help improve interpersonal relationships. Conversational in tone and easily digestible, this book features fascinating discussions of the relationships between adults of various temperaments. Childs reviews matters of compatibility in partnership, family and workplace situations, liberally spicing his commentary with amusing examples of likely scenarios. He investigates the origins and manifestations of the temperaments in both their psychological and physiological aspects. Also included is a section on the temperaments of children, along with helpful and practical advice on dealing with individual issues.

Genres: Psychology, Self Help

Paperback

First published December 1, 1995

Reviews

[Ayanwale Stephen]

I really love to read this book have heard things about it

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Child's book is very easy to read. The guidelines for each of the temperaments are clearly laid out, with positives, negatives, and physical characteristics that go along with the type. Of even more interest was the depictions of how certain types of temperaments will rise to the surface during the different stages of a person's life; i.e., children have sanguine characteristics due to their intense curiosity. Some interrelationship notations are offered as well, between types. It would have increased the scope of the book greatly, so it would probably be impractical, but I would have liked to have learned more about how certain types work together with their secondary characteristic. I also thought that the poor phlegmatic kind of got the short end of the stick here, but being a sanguine/phlegmatic, I suppose I was being a bit sensitive. (Basically, it seemed that Child's opinion of phlegmatics are that they are dull, fat and lazy, but to be fair, they are also steady if mediocre workers. Ha!).

[Simmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book by a waldfor scholar which gives a very clear and concise overview of the four temperaments.

It explains how young children go through different phases such as being sanguine when young, choleric as adolescents and older people melancholic whilst still having their other temperaments that are individual to them.

I definately learnt a lot about myself and my husband from this book. Very easy to read.