By Someone with a sanguine temperament is characterized by their sociability and leadership, among other traits. Learn about this ancient way of classifying people according to the different fluids in their body.
The description of personality is a topic that traditional medicine is very interested in. Hippocrates, one of the best-known classical physicians, suggested a theory from a biological approach, from which the sanguine temperament emerges.
Perhaps the term sounds strange to you, but if we analyze it thoroughly, you will discover that this way of being is very widespread in the population. So, starting from the Hippocratic postulates, in this reading we will discover what character is and how it manifests itself through blood. In addition, we will mention its typical strengths and weaknesses.
What is sanguine temperament?
When we talk about temperament , we are referring to a person’s innate and natural way of being. That is, the reactivity that begins to manifest itself in the first years of life, when the environment has not yet influenced us.
Hippocrates , in the 4th century BC, argued that a person’s temperament depended on the humor or fluid that predominated in his or her body. These internal fluids were: blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm; and the temperaments: sanguine, melancholic, choleric and phlegmatic, respectively.
Therefore, the blood type occurs when blood predominates in an individual, compared to the rest of the humors.
Nowadays, personality is not conceived as rigid and stagnant types, but rather as a mixture of dimensional traits . If we combine the old hypotheses with the current ones, we would observe that the sanguine temperament corresponds to the traits of extroversion and emotional stability.
How this temperament differs from others
Each temperament is associated with a particular way of being. Sanguine people are open, spontaneous and warm; phlegmatic people are withdrawn, analytical and cold.
Cholerics are those who share the most traits with sanguine people. Both are represented by enthusiastic and enterprising people. However, while the former are overwhelmed by emotions and respond impetuously, the latter are able to contain them.
Finally, melancholics are the most different. They are characterized by a tendency towards depressive mood, a pessimistic outlook and a constant anticipation of danger. But they are also sensitive, creative and have a great ability to listen.
How this way of being manifests itself
One of the most interesting points is knowing how theory is put into practice. It refers to what these people are really like, their characteristics and ways of relating to others.
As we said before, the traits that correspond to the sanguine character are extroversion and emotional stability, which is observed in various qualities such as: being sociable, friendly, carefree, collaborative, adventurous, realistic, conservative or a leader .
Being extroverts , these people seek stimulation outside of themselves. For this reason, they enjoy activities such as talking with others and undertaking projects. They also make good leaders, as they have no qualms about taking charge of any situation.
Emotional stability also provides them with a point of realism and a view of the present. They tend to seek the middle ground between the two extremes and adopt conservative political positions.
Characters with a sanguine temperament
To better understand this type of temperament, we are going to list a series of famous people who represent it:
- Shakira
- Beyoncé
- Will Smith
- Lady Gaga
- Jim Carrey
- Tom Hanks
- Eddie Murphy
- Fictional characters such as: Peter Pan or the donkey from the movie Shrek
Strengths and weaknesses of the sanguine temperament
Every personality type has its strengths and weaknesses. Knowing them helps you establish a healthier relationship with yourself. Let’s see which ones are associated with this character.
Strengths
- They show a way of being friendly and attentive to others.
- They show a great capacity to adapt to new environments.
- They express their desires and emotions without fear, in public or in private.
- They attract attention at events because they are talkative and lively.
- They tend to see the glass half full, their attitude towards life is optimistic .
- They stand out for their willingness to undertake projects, they are enthusiastic and adventurous.
Weaknesses
- They are self-centered and selfish, sometimes.
- They show a very high need for approval .
- They tend to procrastinate on their homework until they run out of deadlines.
- They have a hard time committing to future tasks or people.
- They have difficulties with introspection and tend to remain superficial.
- They continually seek new sources of stimulation and get bored easily.
Characteristics of the sanguine temperament in love
If there is one thing that characterizes these people well, it is their sociability and ability to establish relationships. They are individuals who make themselves known easily, are affectionate with their loved ones and show a genuine interest in relating to new people.
However, there are two aspects that can affect them: egocentrism and the tendency to focus on the immediate. Regarding the former, they can feel hurt if their partner rejects their requests. In addition, they sometimes find it difficult to put themselves on an equal footing, as they adopt a position of superiority over the other member.
As for the second point, there are people with this temperament who may be afraid of commitment . Forming a couple means forging a bond and projecting yourself together into the future, a complicated effort for those who are used to thinking in the here and now.
Therefore, it can be suggested that the best partner is someone with the same personality or a phlegmatic individual, with whom the sanguine subject shares the trait of emotional stability.
Complement your innate personality with experience
Do you consider yourself a talkative person who is eager to meet people? Do you have a desire to go on adventures? Do you need to find new sources of entertainment because you get bored easily? If the answer to these questions is “yes,” you may have a sanguine temperament.
In other words, you are an outgoing and stable person. Even so, considering temperament alone is an incomplete view. It is important to keep in mind that personality is influenced by biology and environment alike.
We are who we are thanks to a mix of genes and the experiences we accumulate throughout our lives. On the other hand, when we choose our partners , we do so based on tastes and ways of being similar to our own. Here, contrary to what happens in physics, like poles attract.