What is Four Temperaments?
The Four Temperaments are one of the oldest personality frameworks in Western psychology, originally proposed by Hippocrates and Galen and modernized by Eysenck. Each temperament captures a baseline pattern of energy, mood, and reactivity that colors how someone shows up day to day.
Key Dimensions
Sanguine
Optimistic, social, expressive — energized by people
Choleric
Ambitious, decisive, driven — energized by goals
Melancholic
Analytical, thoughtful, principled — energized by depth
Phlegmatic
Calm, steady, easygoing — energized by harmony
How We Use Temperament in Compatibility Scoring
EQIQs uses temperament as a fast-read behavioral signal that complements deeper trait frameworks. Sanguine–Phlegmatic pairings tend to feel easy; Choleric–Choleric clashes show up on the friction map.
Why Temperament Matters
A one-word read on someone's baseline energy is often the difference between a smooth first meeting and a confusing one.
Who Uses Temperament?
Florence Littauer's 'Personality Plus'
Sold 2M+ copies popularizing the four temperaments for teams and couples
Tim LaHaye / executive coaching world
Standard primer for fast leadership reads
💡 Did you know?
Hans Eysenck mapped the four temperaments onto modern Big Five dimensions — they roughly equal the four corners of Extraversion × Neuroticism.
Research & Further Reading
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