Every human being is indeed unique and has different sets of individual traits and characteristics. Even twins are not completely the same with each other based on studies. We all possess different types of personalities yet we manage to understand each other and interact regardless of these differences. However, not all of us are aware of our individual personality types.
In this article, we will learn the different personality types of human beings according to research and careful observation or study of psychological experts. As you go along, learn to discover what type suits you the most and how you can relate to people with the kind of personality you possess.
Hippocrates’ Theory of the Four Personality Types
A noted figure in the study of our personality is Hippocrates who theorized the four human temperaments to determine the differences in our personality. These are: the Sanguines, the Cholerics, the Melancholic, and the Phlegmatic. His theory is still very evident and relevant even after thousands of years of conducting this study.
The Sanguines are charming people and fun to be with because they have a good sense of humor. They are the life of the party and they make friends easily. They love to socialize and enjoy the company of people around them.
Choleric individuals are extroverts who take control of their lives and are task-oriented. They are strong-willed who love to take challenges, and opinionated people. They are born to be leaders and they have the motivation to reach for their goals.
A person with a Melancholy personality is quite a perfectionist and very organized. Melancholies are introverts who tend to be highly sensitive to others and are faithful to the point of self-sacrificing. They are very creative and talented people. However, they have tendencies to generate low self-esteem because of being judgmental of their own abilities.
Phlegmatic individuals are introverts who are more concerned with relationships with people. They are laid back, possessing low profile personality, but lovers of peace and calmness. They are easygoing and relaxed who can readily make friends because they are warm and friendly.
Jung’s Eight Personality Types
Carl Jung believed that individuals each have different psychological types. According to him, we have two basic “functions” in our lives: knowing how to perceive things and how to make decisions. From these two types, we function differently through our senses or through our intuition. He firmly believes that all of these functions we apply them in our lives. However, we have varying ways in using these functions with different outcomes and amount of success.
But he created an order of preference for these varying functions wherein the frequently used function is the “dominant” one which can either be extraverted or introverted. He stressed that the dominant function is very important since it overshadows the rest of the functions in all of the eight personality types. The following are the eight personality types he created:
1. Extraverted Sensing
2. Introverted Sensing
3. Extraverted Intuition
4. Introverted Intuition
5. Extraverted Thinking
6. Introverted Thinking
7. Extraverted Feeling
8. Introverted Feeling
These types of personalities were further researched and studied by a mother and daughter tandem wherein they created a combination of the abovementioned personality types based on the four major preferences of individual personality.
The Four Preferences of Individual Personality
Katharine Briggs, along with her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, developed the four personality types of today based from Jung’s eight personality types. These are extroversion and introversion, sensing and intuition, thinking and feeling, and judging and perceiving.
Extroverts possess high energy and they talk more than listen. They prefer to be around people and they are more of the outgoing and enthusiastic type. Introverts, on the other hand, have a quiet energy and they prefer being on their own.
Sensors are pragmatic and practical people who have good common sense. Intuitives are more of the inventive type and trust their instincts more than experiences.
Thinkers are objective in making decisions and they prefer analytical, logical reasoning. They are reserved, but honest and fair. Feelers base their decisions on their feelings and values. They are warm and friendly people who deal with diplomacy and tact.
Judgers are quick to make decisions and they stick to plans and schedules. They are serious and conventional type of people. Perceivers, on the contrary, tend to have difficulty in making decisions. They are playful and flexible who prefer spontaneity in what they do.
