Differences between personality, temperament and character

Personality, temperament and character are 3 concepts that in psychology are used to express ways of thinking and feeling, so they are closely related. But this great affinity means that their meanings are too often confused.

To try to use the terms personality, temperament and character judiciously, we are going to try to delimit and size these three terms in a simple way. To do this, before starting to see their differences, it is necessary to be clear that Temperament and character are dimensions of personality. That is, both are the essential components of the latter.

Temperament: constitutional basis

When we talk about temperament, we are referring to that innate part of our personality determined by our genetic inheritance. Hence it is considered the biological and instinctive dimension of personality. In fact, it is the personality factor that manifests itself first.

In babies it is already possible to distinguish different types of temperament. Thus, depending on their tendency to feel and express positive or negative emotions and a good or bad mood, they can be considered “easier” or “difficult” children in behavioral terms.

In this article published in the Salamanca Education Papers (University of Salamanca), we delve into the benefits of knowing the temperament of the little ones. Among them, María Pilar Quiroga highlights the advantages when predicting their reactions and knowing which parenting style is most appropriate use in each particular case.

Thus, “easy” children adapt well to most parenting styles; while The “difficult” ones require more work and effort on the part of adults. For example, those with a stronger temperament need limits to be established like those imposed by the authoritarian style, but they would not be able to withstand the pressure that this way of educating entails.

Being of genetic origin and the result of the inherited constitution, temperament is difficult to modify, manipulate or change due to the consequences. There will always, in some way, be that tendency; Although it is no less true that we can acquire resources to enhance or inhibit its manifestation. If we were an iceberg, it would always be part of the submerged portion, being able to exercise certain control to modify how it manifests itself in the uncovered portion.

Hippocrates and Galen: the humors

The theory of the 4 humors, enunciated by Hippocrates in Ancient Greece, was one of the first that attempted to explain temperament. This doctor considered that both personality as the state of health of the person They depended on the balance between 4 types of substances: yellow bile, black bile, phlegm and blood. He called them bodily humors.

Centuries later, Galen of Pergamon, taking this Hippocratic classification as a reference, categorized people according to their temperaments. With them, He distinguished 4 classes of people:

Choleric (yellow bile): Passionate and energetic people, who get angry easily.Melancholic (black bile): sad individuals, easy to move and with great artistic sensitivity.Phlegmatic (phlegm): cold and rational subjects.Sanguine (blood): happy and optimistic people, who express affection for others and are self-confident.

Character: the reflection of our experiences

It is the component of personality that encompasses temperament (inherited constitution) and the set of educational and relational habits that have been learned by the person. That is to say, It is both an innate and acquired aspect.

Furthermore, it is consequence of the experiences and social interactions that we have in our lives and from which we obtain certain learning. Thus, all these habits influence our temperament and biological predispositions. And they modulate, vary, refine and shape our personality. Therefore, The origin of character is cultural.

It is less stable than temperament. Character, as it is not inherited, does not fully manifest itself in the initial phases of evolutionary development. But it goes through different stages, until It reaches its maximum expression in adolescence. Therefore, it is modifiable and susceptible to being changed; for example, through social education. Nowadays, this term is often confused with personality, so that they are often used interchangeably.

Personality: biology and environment

Personality is the result of adding character (temperament and learned habits) and behavior. That is, it encompasses both aspects. It is perhaps this cohesion that allows the differences between personality, temperament and character to be elucidated more clearly.

Hence, it cannot be considered only the result of genetic inheritance, but also a consequence of the environmental influences to which the subject is subjected. Personality is an individual distinctive and, therefore, is characteristic of the person. Furthermore, according to numerous studies, remains stable over time and across situations.

Defining personality

In Psychology, personality is the set of emotions, cognitions and behaviors that make up a person’s behavioral pattern. It is the way we feel, think or behave. It is a set of processes that interact with each other and regulate themselves, forming a dynamic system. The two most used and accepted definitions in Psychology currently are:

“Personality is the sum total of the behavior patterns, current or potential, of an organism determined by heredity and environment sum total of the behavior patterns, current and potential, of an organism determined by heredity and environment” . Hans Eynseck (1947) “Personality is the typical patterns of behavior (including emotions and thoughts) that characterize the individual’s adaptation to life situations.” Michel (1976).

Nevertheless, There is no unitary or clear definition of what personality is., since it is a complex system and there are as many definitions as there are authors and currents. Each philosophy or theory has provided its vision and concept, similar to each other but different in its nuances. They all have something in common: they believe that there is a certain pattern in the person that leads them to behave in a similar way in similar situations. A series of variables would come into play in this pattern, which would shape it.

Depending on the current, these variables receive one name or another: characteristic, subject, parts, traits… The essential thing is that the richness of personality psychology lies in all these contributions, theories, studies and research, together with the integration of all they.

Personality, temperament and character are different concepts and precisely in this difference lies part of their richness. and courage to understand and try to predict, through them, our behaviors.

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