Opposite Temperament Types in the Same Person

This question relates to the “blend” of temperament types in each of us; specifically, what happens when they are two opposites?

“I noticed that you are a Phlegmatic Choleric and I was wondering if you’ve studied how the opposite temperament types can be in the same person.  Thanks, Taylor”

This question is one I’ve often thought about. I do believe that you can have a blend of two opposite temperament types as I live in one (Phlegmatic Choleric).  My wife has two opposite types (Sanguine Melancholy) and my daughter also (Choleric Phlegmatic).

From my experience understanding this has do with the dominance of each type; by that I mean that in most people one type is dominant and the other is less so.

For instance I have  good friend that is Choleric Phlegmatic (just my opposite).  How do we differ since we share the same two types in differing amounts?  I am almost always the most laid back person in the room (Phlegmatic) but when I get impatient (traffic, slow lines) my Choleric driver wants to come out.  In my friend, his Choleric primary causes him to be a straight-ahead driver who does it in a non-angry way; his Phlegmatic ‘tempers’ his Choleric.

The upshot is that individuals with opposite termperament types will struggle with those opposites; which is partly what makes each of us unique!

3 thoughts on “Opposite Temperament Types in the Same Person”

  1. This is interesting because you said you wife is a Sang Mel so between you two you have all four temperments. But in another you you advised someone to look for a spouse that shared one of you own temperments for smoother compatibility, so with work Sang Mel and Phleg Chol can work but does it require more work than if a temperment was shared?

    PS. I am also a Mel Phleg looking for answers, haha.

    1. I can honestly say that the differences in our temperaments (my wife’s and mine) has been the hardest work we have done in our 44 years of marriage. Adding to your correct interpretation that we shared all 4 types was a cultural difference; having been raised in different area of the US.

      But the other point you reference is still true in my experience; the “easier” path to compatibility is sharing one of the four types between the two individuals. I can’t even say which one would be best to share – I simply mean that having some internal common ground makes relating easier and more natural. So the simple answer to your question is “YES”, having totally different temperament types DOES make for a LOT MORE WORK.

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