overview history of the four temperaments - or four humours

From various sources and references, including Keirsey and Montgomery, here is a history of the Four Temperaments and other models and concepts related to the Four Temperaments or Four Humours. The words in this framework (from Hippocrates onwards) can be seen as possible describing words for each of the temperaments concerned, although do not attach precise significance to any of the words - they are guide only and not definitive or scientifically reliable. The correlations prior to Hippocrates are far less reliable and included here more for interest than for scientific relevance.

N.B. the colours in these charts do not signify anything - they merely assist (hopefully) with continuity between the different tables. The initials K and M denote interpretations according to Keirsey and Montgomery. Ancient dates are approximate. Some cautionary notes relating to the inclusion of some of these theorists and interpretations is shown below the grid. For believers in astrology and star-signs please resist the temptation to categorise yourself according to where your star-sign sits in the grid - these associations are not scientific and not reliable, and are included merely for historical context and information.

Keirsey/MBTI® reference

artisan/SP sensing-perceiving

guardian/SJ sensing-judging

idealist/NF intuitive-feeling

rationalist/NT intuitive-thinking

Ezekiel 590BC lion ox man eagle

Empedocles 450BC Goea (air) Hera (earth) Zeus (fire)Poseidon (water)

The Seasons Spring Autumn Summer Winter

Signs of ZodiacLibra, Aquarius, Gemini

Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo

Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Hippocrates 370BC blood black bile yellow bile phlegm

Hippocrates 370BC 'Four Qualities'

hot and moist cold and dry hot and dry cold and moist

Plato 340BC (M) artistic sensible intuitive reasoning

Aristotle 325BC 'contribution to social order' (K)

'iconic'- artistic and art-making

'pistic' - common-sense and care-taking

'noetic' - intuitive sensibility and morality

'dianoetic' - reasoning and logical investigator

Aristotle 325BC Four Sources of Happiness (K)

'hedone' - sensual pleasure

'propraieteri' - acquiring assets

'ethikos' - moral virtue

'dialogike' - logical investigation

Galen 190AD Four Temperaments or Four Humours

sanguine melancholic choleric phlegmatic

Paracelsus 1550 'Four Totem Spirits' (K)

Salamanders - impulsive and

Gnomes - industrious and

Nymph - inspiring and

Sylphs - curious and

changeable guarded passionate calm

Eric Adickes 1905 Four World Views (K)

innovative traditional doctrinaire sceptical

Eduard Spranger 1914 Four Value Attitudes (K)

artistic economic religious theoretic

Ernst Kretschmer 1920 (M)

manic depressive oversensitive insensitive

Eric Fromm 1947 (K) exploitative hoarding receptive marketing

Hans Eysenck 1950s (trait examples from his inventory)

lively, talkative, carefree, outgoing

sober, reserved, quiet, rigid 

restless, excitable, optimistic, impulsive 

careful, controlled, thoughtful, reliable 

Myers 1958 (M) perceiving judging feeling thinking

Myers 1958 (K) probing scheduling friendly tough-minded

Montgomery 2002 on Jung/Myers

SP - spontaneous and playful

SJ - sensible and judicious

NF - intuitive and fervent

NT - ingenious and theoretical

Montgomery 2002 on Keirsey's Four Temperaments

says what is, does what works

says what is,does what's right

says what's possible,does what's right

says what's possible,does what works