Temperamentet

Temperamentet, in psychology, refers to a set of biologically based individual differences in emotional reactivity, self-regulation, and attention that are evident from early life and tend to be relatively stable across time. These temperamental traits influence how people respond to people, events, and stress, and they interact with experiences and environment to shape later personality.

Historically, the concept is linked to the theory of the four temperaments, derived from ancient Greek humors: sanguine (outgoing and lively), choleric (ambitious and irritable), melancholic (thoughtful and reserved), and phlegmatic (calm and steady). While influential for centuries, subsequent research has treated the fourfold framework as a historical model rather than a precise taxonomy, recognizing that temperament is more complex and multidimensional.

In music, temperamentet denotes a tuning system for instruments that allows music to be played in multiple keys. Early temperaments adjusted intervals to improve consonance across pitches, with a long evolution from meantone and meantone-like tunings to equal temperament, which divides the octave into twelve equal semitones. This development enabled consistent interval sizes across keys and facilitated modern Western tonality and instrument design.

Contemporary research in psychology often describes temperament along several dimensions, such as emotional reactivity, activity level, and special sensitivity, with influential models from Thomas and Chess and from Rothbart. Temperament is seen as a precursor to personality, with effects moderated by parenting, culture, and life experiences. The concept remains distinct from personality but contributes to understanding individual differences in behavior and development.

See also: temperament (music), temperament theory, personality, infancy temperament, goodness of fit.