4 temperaments

[Amarock]

Hello everyone!
In psychology and biology, there is such term as psychotype.
in theory, there are four types of the
nervous system that determine the
temperament of a person, for example:
Choleric, melancholic, sanguine, and
phlegmatic.
The point is that the owners of
different types of neural networks, see
the world quite differently.
For example melancholic are very susceptible
to negative emotions, which is very
complicate life.
Science says that we can not change it, because
this is innate properties of the organism.
So, I want to ask - is it true, or we can do something by means of meditation for example?

 

[obyvatel]

The temperament theory is very old and is said to be found in the writings of Hippocrates and Galen in the western world. As far as I know, this theory is not considered seriously by modern psychology or neuroscience.

[quote author=Amarock]
Science says that we can not change it, because
this is innate properties of the organism.
So, I want to ask - is it true, or we can do something by means of meditation for example?
[/quote]

I think there are some innate temperamental dispositions but the overall framework is very flexible. Research has shown that the human brain forms new neural connections through learning and this process goes on well into old age. Unless there is some serious underlying pathology, growth and change is very possible under the right circumstances with the right effort.

Meditation has been shown by research to be one of the effective ways of bringing about change in oneself. If you go to www.sott.net and search for "brain meditation", you will find many scientific articles on this topic. In case you are not aware of it, many members of this forum have been greatly benefited from practicing the eiriu-eolas (EE in short) meditation program. You can find more details at http://eiriu-eolas.org/ as well as in the forum thread EE breathing program .

You can also take a look at some of the topics in the psychology and cognitive science board for more information and discussions on psychology and neuroscience.

 

[whitecoast]

Hi Amarock. Maybe you will find this snippet from an early transcript helpful:

[quote author=October 7, 1995]Q: (L) Okay, what is it about the Semitic genes that was considered to be so undesirable in the creation of this 'Master Race?'

A: Would blemish genetic characteristics inclined to ruthlessness and domination.

Q: (L) So, you are saying that there is something, some genetic tendency or set of genes in the Semitic type that would counteract this?

A: Close.

Q: (L) But isn't the nature of a person determined by their soul and not the physical body?

A: Partially, remember, aural profile and karmic reference merges with physical structure.

Q: (L) So you are saying that particular genetic conditions are a physical reflection of a spiritual orientation? That the soul must match itself to the genetics, even if only in potential? A: Yes, precisely.[/quote]

What I think this says is that your aural/karmic profile merges with your genetic information, and both those things create a level of potential development you may fulfil.
The ancient theory about the four humours and personality (sanguine, phlegmatic, chloeric, melancholic) seems very childish, but I think what they were trying to say is that some traits are genetic (the shape of the skull, colour of the skin, etc. all influenced what type you were). Today, the biological origin of personality is still an extremely new field, so it's hard to say anything with certainty. I do know that our genes are not our fate though, since our environment interacts with, and influences, our gene expression. I'm sure many people on the forum here could testify to improvements in their temperament by moving to a less toxic, and more nutritious, diet. The "Life Without Bread" and "Ketogenic Diet" threads will contain a lot of this information. Managing one's stress level with Eiriu Eolas or other programs that stimulate the vagus nerve can also reduce neuroticism (one of the big 5 personality traits empirically shown to exist). Actively observing your thoughts and behaviour and attempting to eliminate obsessive or negative thought loops can also work wonders. Information on that can be found in the Psychology section of the forum, but improving one's diet and breathing is the first step for a solid foundation for repairing the mind-body-soul connection. :) Happy exploring.

 

[Amarock]

Thank you for this clues :)

 

[Keit]

It seems like there may be several aspects to the issue of temperaments. As obyvatel said, maybe there is such a thing as innate predisposition to that or another temperament, and maybe it has to do with essence or chief feature. But it would probably be more subtle, or something that requires extensive observation, while most of the behavior traits are learned and in many cases programmed in us since childhood. And this kind of situational adaptation can be changed, either consciously or gradually.

Of course, from a purely physiological point of view, there is definitely such a thing as excitability of the nervous system, and it's different for each person. I studied how four temperaments get manifested, but only in animals. For example, productivity-wise, sanguine cattle is more preferred, as they are less sensitive to the shocks or changes in the outer environment, while animals with other temperaments react in a different (either dramatic or more subsided but deeper) manner and take more time to recover. And all of this should be taken into account and considered when thinking about disease susceptibility, recovery and quality of life in general.

On the other hand, for humans there actually appear to be many advantages to having a highly excitable nervous system. For example, according to Kazimierz Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration, it's the ones who experience overexcitability have the best chances at personal development. :)