Properties of the nervous system as the physiological basis of temperament. Temperament, its physiological basis and psychological description
“One swirl curl means poverty; two vortex curls - wealth; three curls, four curls - open a pawnshop; five curls - become a commission agent; six curls - a thief; seven - misfortune; eight - eat straw; nine curls and one loop - you do not have to work, you have enough food until your death.
Chinese folk saying
Each person is characterized by individual psychological characteristics. This concept includes the peculiar properties of the mental activity of the individual, which are expressed in temperament, character, motivational-required sphere and abilities. Knowledge about this makes it possible to identify many important personality traits, to choose a unique style of learning and development, which will significantly expand the range of possibilities for choosing the type of activity, and will contribute to the most complete realization of a person as a person. In the modern age of information, a person must be able to quickly predict, correct and control his actions and deeds, that is, constantly change and adapt to a new wave of life.
All information about our character, abilities, diseases is literally drawn on the fingertips. Finger patterns are laid even in the womb of the 3rd - 5th month of pregnancy, along with the tissues of the nervous system. Therefore, finger patterns and the type of human nervous system are interconnected. The dermatoglyphics method allows you to decipher the psychological portrait.
There is an amazing and not yet fully understood commonality of the origin of the human skin and brain from the same embryonic layer - the ectoderm. Therefore, having looked at the drawing of a newly born person, it is already possible to say whether he will be a leader, how much he will be coordinated, what qualities he needs to develop from childhood, in which area his personality will be most fully revealed. How many mistakes could parents avoid if they knew in advance about some of the features of the mental warehouse of their child.
This problem is relevant, because many people begin to feel the full-bloodedness of life, strive to be fully realized in it, to master the necessary information, because they choose the law of their life: “He who does not sail anywhere, there is no fair wind for him” (M. Montaigne) .
The word "dermatoglyphics" is formed from two words derma (skin) and glyphe (engrave). Dermatoglyphics studies lines and folds on the entire surface of the skin of the human body, however, the hands are usually examined, less often the feet.
The laying of dermatoglyphic patterns on the palms and fingers occurs between the 6th and 19th weeks of intrauterine development, and their formation ends by the 5th-6th month. At the same time, on the fingertips, palms and soles, the formation of patterns does not occur simultaneously: on the soles it begins 2-3 weeks later. From the moment of bookmarking and formation, the skin pattern has an individual and unique character, which persists throughout a person’s life.
The stability of the leather pattern has been repeatedly tested. After thermal and chemical burns, the old pattern invariably appears on young skin. This feature was noted by the ancients. In ancient China, Japan, Korea, India, a finger smeared with paint was applied to important documents - its imprint replaced signatures.
Dermatoglyphics is a rather young science: its origin dates back to 1892, when one of the most original biologists of his time, Charles Darwin's cousin, Sir Francis Galton, released his now classic work on fingerprints.
This date, however, is rather arbitrary. Ever since the beginning of the seventeenth century. In the works of very authoritative anatomists, there are descriptions of dermatological patterns, and at the beginning of the 19th century. The famous Czech researcher Jan Purkinje created a fundamental classification of finger patterns. Later, it was largely used by Galton, and then by the authors of the most common classification today - the Americans H. Cummis and C. Midlo.
As an independent science, dermatoglyphics took shape by the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. The term "dermatoglyphics" itself was adopted in 1926 at the 42nd Congress of the American Association of Anatomists at the suggestion of H. Cummins and C. Midlo.
And in 1880. two authors - G. Fulds and V. Herschel - published in the authoritative English scientific journal "Nature" messages on the possibilities of identifying a person by fingerprints. One of the authors even suggested that Scotland Yard use this discovery, but this proposal was initially rejected. As a method of personality registration (creation of a bank of dermatoglyphic data of people), dermatoglyphics was introduced in England in 1894. In Russia, dermatoglyphic data have been used since 1907.
The largest contribution to the development of dermatoglyphics was made by our compatriots M. I. Vilyamovskaya, I. I. Kanaev, M. V. Volotskaya (works of the 1930s) and T. D. Gladkova (1960s)
In addition to criminology and forensic medicine, dermatoglyphics is also used in anthropology. In recent years, geneticists and doctors have become interested in dermatoglyphics, since it has been found that in a number of hereditary diseases and human karyotype disorders, changes in the structure of the skin pattern are observed. For the first time this method was applied in genetics in 1939, when H. Cummins described the characteristic features of dermatoglyphs in Down syndrome. The dermatolyphic method is also used in racial anthropology, since racial differences in the skin pattern have been established.
Actually dermatoglyphic signs
Actually dermatoglyphic signs, or true patterns, are represented by three types of patterns (arcs, loops, curls).
Finger Pattern Type Features
Arc (arch)-Arch The simplest drawing. It does not have triradii (a triradius, or delta place or point in the palmar drawing, where three differently directed papillary lines converge, they form a pattern resembling the Greek letter "delta")
Loops A pattern that has only one delta. A semi-closed pattern in which skin combs, starting from one edge, go to the other, but, not reaching it, return back, forming a loop.
*Radial loops (R) are relatively uncommon. They have a distinct tendency to localization on the index finger for all populations and a rare frequency of occurrence on the 3rd and 4th fingers, extremely rare on the little fingers. This loop opens to the radial side of the palm, to the thumb.
* Ulnar loops (U) - a common pattern, rarely diagnostic.
This loop opens to the ulnar side of the palm, to the little finger.
Curl -Whorls (W) The most complex pattern, having two deltas. A closed pattern in which papillary lines are arranged concentrically around the middle of the pattern.
Relatively common pattern, more often localized on the 1st and 4th fingers.
Temperament
The concept of temperament
The word temperament comes from the Latin "temperamentum" - ratio, proportion.
Temperament is the result of the combination of various biological components that are involved in the functioning of the behavioral system. This is a generalized, qualitatively different system of various psychobiological properties of individual behavior, therefore temperament manifests itself in mental orientation, programming, regulation, and assessment of human life in the form of dynamic processes and states. The latter also include: intensity, speed, pace, rhythm, as well as emotional sensitivity and plasticity.
Temperament belongs to the primary forms of higher mental synthesis. Its physiological basis is the type of higher nervous activity, determined by the ratio of strength, balance, mobility of excitatory and inhibitory processes. However, the relationship between the types of higher nervous activity and the traditionally distinguished types of temperament (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic) is far from unambiguous.
Temperament, as a psychobiological property of a person, is manifested in the features of mastering the objective world in the desire for mental and physical labor, social contacts, in the speed of transition from one type of activity to another or from one way of thinking to another, in the speed of monotonous-motor acts, in speed speech, in emotional sensitivity to discrepancies between what was conceived and the results of communication and activity, and in sensitivity to failures and evaluations of people.
Temperament characterizes the mobility of the individual, but not her beliefs, views, interests. It is not an indicator of a greater or lesser social value of the individual, does not determine its ultimate capabilities. The properties of temperament should not be confused with the properties of character or with the abilities of the personality. People of the most different temperaments can achieve very high achievements in the same kind of activity. If we take the largest writers, then A. I. Herzen was a typical sanguine person, I. A. Krylov was a phlegmatic, A. S. Pushkin was a choleric, and N. V. Gogol was a melancholic.
Thus, temperament is the individual characteristics of a person that determine the dynamics of his mental activity and behavior.
Physiological basis of temperament
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (V - IV centuries BC) believed that temperaments are explained by the different ratio of the main types of fluid in the body and which of them prevails: blood (in Latin "sanguis"), mucus (in Greek "phlegm"), red-yellow bile (in Greek "chole") or black bile (in Greek "melain hole").
A truly scientific explanation of temperament is given by IP Pavlov's teaching on the types of higher nervous activity. He believed that the individual characteristics of behavior, the dynamics of mental activity depend on individual differences in the vital activity of the nervous system. The basis of these differences, in his opinion, is the connection and relationship of nervous processes - excitation and inhibition.
I. P. Pavlov discovered three properties of the processes of excitation and inhibition:
1) the strength of the processes of excitation and inhibition;
2) the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition;
3) the mobility of the processes of excitation and inhibition.
The strength of nervous processes characterizes the working capacity, endurance of the nervous system and means its ability to endure either prolonged or short-term, but very strong excitation and inhibition. The opposite property - the weakness of nervous processes - is characterized by the inability of nerve cells to withstand prolonged and concentrated excitation and inhibition. Cells have reduced efficiency, their energy is quickly depleted. But on the other hand, a weak nervous system has increased sensitivity, it reacts to any even the smallest stimuli.
The balance of nervous processes is the ratio of excitation and inhibition. In some people, these two processes are balanced, while in others there is no balance: the process of excitation or inhibition predominates.
The mobility of nervous processes is the ability to quickly replace each other, the speed of movement of nervous processes, the speed of the appearance of a nervous process in response to irritation, the speed of the formation of new conditional connections.
Combinations of these properties of nervous processes formed the basis for determining the type of higher nervous activity. Depending on the combination of strength, balance and mobility of the nervous processes of excitation and inhibition, four main types of higher nervous activity are distinguished.
IP Pavlov correlated the types of nervous activity identified by him with the psychological types of temperaments and found a complete match. Thus, temperament is a manifestation of the type of nervous system in activity, in human behavior.
As a result, the ratio of types of the nervous system and temperaments according to I.P. Pavlov is as follows:
1. strong, balanced, mobile type (“live”) - sanguine temperament;
2. strong, balanced, inert type ("calm") - phlegmatic temperament;
3. strong, unbalanced, with a predominance of excitement ("unrestrained") - choleric temperament;
4. weak type ("weak") - melancholic temperament.
The type of the nervous system is a natural, innate property of a person, which practically cannot be adjusted under the influence of living conditions and activities. The type of the nervous system gives originality to human behavior, but does not determine either the actions of a person, or his beliefs, or the moral principles that are formed in the process of education by society. Temperament can be passed down from generation to generation.
Characteristics of temperament
As mentioned above, there are four types of temperament.
Representatives of the choleric temperament are impulsive, easily excitable. Mental processes in this type proceed quickly, intensively. People with this temperament are energetic, efficient, constantly looking for new interests, routine work tires them. The instability of mental processes often leads to nervous breakdowns, which is manifested by excessive irritability, irascibility, egocentrism. Very prone to neurotic disorders. The positive aspects of the choleric temperament are energy, activity, passion, initiative. And the negative sides are general intemperance, rudeness and harshness, irascibility, the ability to affect.
The representative of the sanguine temperament is a lively, inquisitive, mobile (but without sharp, impetuous movements) person. As a rule, people with this temperament are cheerful and cheerful. Emotionally unstable, easily amenable to feelings, but they are usually not deep in him. They have a highly balanced type of nervous activity. Nervous processes are excited and develop quite quickly, grow to a certain limit and fade away in a timely manner as soon as the problem becomes irrelevant. People in whom this temperament prevails are energetic, sociable, benevolent, sympathetic, flexible in making decisions, easily win the point of view of others, if it corresponds to their foundations and does not contradict morality. Very hardy, with strong and prolonged stress, they rarely develop neurotic conditions. Negative features of this type: frivolity, dispersion, inability and unwillingness to complete the work begun, overestimation of oneself and one's capabilities.
The representative of the phlegmatic temperament is slow, calm, unhurried. Psychologically strong enough inert type to bring him out of balance, you have to make a lot of effort. They have a low threshold of excitability. They are balanced, not prone to aggression, as well as to the formation of neurotic disorders. They slowly reproduce and assimilate information, but rather pedantically, getting to the bottom of every essence. It is difficult to accept someone else's point of view, but if accepted, then it becomes their own. People in whom this temperament prevails do not like changes in life, they are prone to order. His main positive qualities: perseverance, efficiency, perseverance. Negative features of this type: lethargy, inertia, passivity, laziness, indifference, indifferent attitude to work can sometimes appear.
Representatives of the melancholic temperament are prone to isolation, avoid communication with unfamiliar, new people, are often embarrassed, show awkwardness in a new environment. Psychologically highly mobile nervous system, but by type it is very weak. The processes of excitation are very quickly replaced by processes of inhibition, which leads to general weakness and exhaustion. Pessimistic, very painfully experiencing everything that happens. More often they do not undertake to carry out difficult tasks, worrying about an impending failure, but if they have a strong will, they will complete the work they have begun, mentally torturing themselves. Most of the types are prone to the formation of mental disorders and stay in stress and depression. It is alarming that stress can cause various physical illnesses. But impressionability, subtle sensitivity and acute susceptibility of the world around him allow him to achieve great success in art - music, drawing, poetry. People in whom this temperament prevails are distinguished by softness, tact, delicacy, sensitivity and responsiveness.
Character
The concept of character
Character is a stable combination of mental properties of a person, which expresses his attitude to the world around him, ways of behavior and response. Character is individual and typical, because the symptom complex of character properties has special substructures with their unique relationships. Probably, volitional traits are the main ones in the symptom complex of character, which, when integrated into personality traits, determine the weakness or strength of character. It is important to note that all character traits are interconnected, interdependent. As a result of the regular relationships of character traits, there are leading (defining, basic) traits, as well as subordinate ones. Each of the structural units of character is formed during life in ontogenesis as a way of realizing relationships in activity and communication.
The structure of character may be dominated by intellectual, emotional or volitional components.
The physiological basis of character is a dynamic stereotype. Its features, as well as upbringing and the complexity of relationships with people, can give rise to character accentuations, that is, excessive strengthening of individual traits that lead to a person’s disharmonious treatment of other people, an inadequate attitude towards himself, activity, and so on. Thus, the physiological basis of character is an alloy of traits such as the nervous system and complex stable systems of temporary connections.
Traits
Character traits are understood as individual habitual forms of human behavior in which his attitude to reality is realized.
Character traits must be considered and evaluated in relation to each other. Each character trait acquires its own meaning, often different, depending on its relationship with other traits. For example, perseverance has a positive meaning only in combination with a high level of ideology and critical thinking; without them, it can degenerate into stubbornness.
Character traits are usually divided into two groups:
Character traits in which the orientation of the personality is expressed (i.e., a system of relations to reality: to society, to work, to people, to oneself, etc.).
The orientation of the personality determines the goals and aspirations of a person, it is also important whether these goals and aspirations of a person are realized in life, whether a person knows how to overcome obstacles on the way to the goal.
These character traits include: collectivism, selfishness, sensitivity, rudeness, honesty, sociability, isolation, secrecy, diligence, negligence, laziness, initiative, conservatism, prudence, self-criticism, self-esteem, self-respect.
Volitional character traits.
Depending on the development of volitional character traits in a person, they speak of a strong or weak character. Weak will gives a negative assessment of the character as a whole, even in the presence of a positive personality orientation. There is no value in setting high, noble goals if they are not realized in life. At that time, a strong character with a false orientation will not be a valuable quality of a person.
Strong-willed character traits include purposefulness, independence, determination, perseverance, endurance, courage and courage, discipline.
Character formation.
Character is formed, developed and changed in the practical activity of a person, reflects the conditions and lifestyle. Thus, character is a less stable state than temperament. Social factors rather than biological ones play a more important role in its formation.
Character formation begins at an early age. Already at preschool age, the first contours of character are outlined, a habitual way of behavior begins to take shape, certain attitudes towards reality. The traits of collectivism, perseverance, endurance, courage are formed, first of all, in the game, especially in collective games with rules. The surrounding society, as well as various types of labor activity, have a great influence. Especially intensively develop character traits in adolescents.
It should be noted that despotic upbringing causes stress in the child, and hence the development of such qualities as humility, lack of independence, self-doubt, initiative, dependence, sacrifice and others. But you should not allow everything, to be at the mercy of the whims of children, because this contributes to the development of self-confidence, increased demands on oneself, selfishness, callousness, and so on.
Self-education is also one of the ways of educating character. It is mostly used by adults. To educate character means to be able to take responsibility for one's actions and control one's actions.
In the education of character, an individual approach is especially important. An individual approach requires the selection and implementation of educational activities that would correspond to the characteristics of the individual and his state of mind at the moment. And irritability, impatience, rudeness, passivity, excessive indiscretion of the teacher (parent) will have a negative impact on the character of the child.
The relationship of individual - psychological characteristics of the personality with dermatoglyphic patterns on the fingers
Skin patterns on the fingertips, formed during the prenatal development of a person, remain unchanged throughout life. The skin in embryonic development is closely related to the nervous system. And the pattern on the fingertips is determined by the structure of the nerve endings in them. Therefore, skin patterns can be used to study the characteristics of the human nervous system. From here it is already one step to his behavior, character.
The patterns on our fingertips are of three types. More often than others, there are "loops".
If your child has a large number of loops on his fingers, do not be upset that this pattern is, so to speak, banal. But the character of such children is "golden". They are calm, friendly, accommodating, responsive, the first to come to the rescue. At school, they may not "grab the stars from the sky", but they do their homework diligently. They are very responsible, but they will not show much initiative. As a rule, such guys easily make friends.
By temperament, the owners of loops are choleric or approach them. The owners of ten loops are very energetic during normal work, but in extreme situations they “go out”, because they have limited physical potential. Most of all, they are exhausted in boring, monotonous work that is not interesting to them.
But the owners of a large number of curls give the impression of people "on their minds."
In friendship, they are very picky. Often they do not finish the work they have started, although if they manage to interest them in something, they can produce a kind of masterpiece. Sometimes teachers and parents are surprised by an unexpected successful initiative. For this, they have to forgive a lot. True, such people are rare. Much more often, a person has only one or two curlic patterns on his hands, and he is closer to the owners of loop patterns with all their advantages and disadvantages. It also happens that all the curls are located only on the fingers of one hand. In this case, the child often behaves, to put it mildly, unbalanced. If the curls are located on the fingers of the right hand, then although he is quick-tempered, he is quick-tempered. If on the contrary, he will be silent, holding a grudge for a long time. For those who prefer the left hand when writing and eating, the curl is most often located on the index finger of the left hand, while on the right hand there is a loop. If the curl is on the ring finger of the left hand, then this is an indication of musical abilities. It is extremely rare for people to have such a pattern only on the thumb of the left hand, and on the right there is a loop. They are very vulnerable and vindictive. It is better not to put pressure on such a child, and you need to beware of quarreling with him. The third type of patterns is also rare - arcs. If they are on the index fingers, this is still nothing, but if on others, then such people are very peculiar.
They are very creatively gifted, they catch everything on the fly, they learn very quickly, they grab onto a lot of things at once, but often they don’t finish them, they lose interest. A large number of curls speaks of a subtle, excitable psyche. On the one hand - a very high nervous organization, on the other - mental instability, a tendency to depression.
The owner of a large number of arcs always and everywhere considers himself a "bearer of truth."
This is not always pleasant for others. It will not be possible to convince such a child, to force him to admit his mistake. Yes, and it is not necessary. These guys don't learn from mistakes. However, this is redeemed by the fact that they are not vindictive and frank. And if they smile, they are really happy. In study and business, they do well, they are distinguished by speed and concreteness. All excess is cut off.
For people with arcs, physical potential is not the main thing; psychological and personal qualities prevail in them. They tend to be ambitious, ambitious, responsible and authoritarian, and take responsibility for the entire group. Most often, this type of leader is very stubborn, purposeful. You can say about them: “rushing like a tank”, and in the life of “arcs” the moment of overcoming is very important.
But these are only the most general principles. The character of a person depends not only on the predominant type of patterns, but also on their location in relation to each other.
Chapter II. Material and research methods
To identify the relationship between individual psychological characteristics with dermatoglyphic patterns on the fingers, the following methods were used:
1. Testing in order to find out the temperament, the level of extraversion and emotional stability, to establish the prevailing characterological tendencies of the individual.
1) Adolescent test - a questionnaire for the study of temperament by G. Eysenck in order to diagnose the degree of severity of properties put forward as essential components of personality: neuroticism, extra-, introversion and psychotism.
2) Test "Formula of temperament".
3) Test - DME questionnaire, compiled by the American psychologist T. Leary.
With the help of fingerprinting and a magnifying glass, dermatoglyphic patterns on the fingers were examined and identified.
The studies were carried out from May 2008 to January 2009.
The study involved 30 students in grades 8.9, including 8 boys, 22 girls.
Based on the results of the study, tables and diagrams were constructed.
Having made the primary processing of the answer forms according to the Eysenck method, it is possible to determine the type of temperament of the subjects. The results are analyzed, the data obtained are summarized in tables 1-4.
Table 3
Summary table on the results of the test-questionnaire for the study of temperament (Eysenck) in grades 8-9.
signs No. boy Qty. dev. Total %
(8 people) (22 people) (30 people)
Extraversion Significant extrovert - 4 4 13.3
Moderate extrovert 5 11 16 53.3
Introversion Significant introvert - 1 1 3.3
Moderate introvert 3 6 9 30.0
Neuroticism Signs of looseness 2 1 3 10.0
nervous system
Emotional stability 2 8 10 33.3
Emotional 4 13 17 56.7
instability
True-false Can be trusted 5 14 19 63.3
Doubtful 2 4 6 20.0
Unreliable 1 4 5 16.7
Diagram 1. Extraversion-introversion among students in grades 8-9 (%).
Diagram 2. Extraversion-introversion among boys and girls of 8-9 grades.
The data entered in the summary table 3 according to the results of the test-questionnaire for the study of temperament (Eysenck) in grades 8-9 indicate that 53.3% of the students in these classes are moderate extroverts, among them 16.6% of boys and 36.7% girls.
Extroverts are characterized by the fact that they are sociable and outward-looking, they have a wide circle of acquaintances, the need for contacts. They act on the spur of the moment, impulsive, quick-tempered, carefree, optimistic, good-natured, cheerful. They prefer movement and action, tend to be aggressive. Feelings and emotions do not have strict control, they are prone to risky actions. You can't always rely on them. In 13.3% of the respondents, these qualities are expressed to a great extent.
30% of the respondents are moderate introverts - they are calm, shy, introspective people. Restrained and distant from everyone except close friends. They plan and think about their actions in advance, do not trust sudden impulses, take decisions seriously, love everything in order. They control their feelings, they are not easily pissed off. They are pessimistic, highly value moral standards. In 3.3% (1 girl) these qualities are strongly expressed.
Table 3 contains data on the neuroticism of the surveyed schoolchildren. Neuroticism characterizes emotional stability or instability (emotional stability or instability). Neuroticism is associated with indicators of the lability of the nervous system.
Among the respondents, 56.7% are characterized by signs of emotional instability, most of them are girls. Neuroticism is expressed in extreme nervousness, instability, poor adaptation, a tendency to quickly change moods (lability), feelings of guilt and anxiety, anxiety, depressive reactions, absent-mindedness, instability in stressful situations. Neuroticism corresponds to emotionality, impulsivity; unevenness in contacts with people, variability of interests, self-doubt, pronounced sensitivity, impressionability, a tendency to irritability. The neurotic personality is characterized by inadequately strong reactions to the stimuli that cause them. Individuals with high scores on the neuroticism scale in adverse stressful situations may develop neurosis.
33.3% have emotional stability - this is a trait that expresses the preservation of organized behavior, situational focus in normal and stressful situations. It is characterized by maturity, excellent adaptation, lack of great tension, anxiety, as well as a tendency to leadership, sociability.
In 10% of schoolchildren, there are signs of a loose nervous system, psychotism - it indicates a tendency to antisocial behavior, pretentiousness, inadequacy of emotional reactions, high conflict, non-contact, self-centeredness, selfishness, indifference.
According to Eysenck, high scores on extraversion and neuroticism are consistent with a psychiatric diagnosis of hysteria, and high scores on introversion and neuroticism are consistent with anxiety or reactive depression. Neuroticism and psychotism in the case of the severity of these indicators are understood as a "predisposition" to the corresponding types of pathology.
Most of the respondents answered the questions sincerely - 63.3%, and only 16.7% of schoolchildren gave unreliable answers.
Drawing on data from the physiology of higher nervous activity, Eysenck hypothesizes that the strong and weak types, according to Pavlov, are very close to the extraverted and introverted personality types. The nature of intro - and extraversion is seen in the innate properties of the central nervous system, which ensure the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition.
Thus, using survey data on the scales of extra-, introversion and neuroticism, it is possible to derive personality temperament indicators according to Pavlov’s classification, who described four classical types: sanguine (according to the main properties of the central nervous system, it is characterized as strong, balanced, mobile), choleric (strong , unbalanced, mobile), phlegmatic (strong, balanced, inert), melancholic (weak, unbalanced, inert). On the graph you can see how the types of temperament correlate with the scales of the questionnaire.
Table 4
Types of temperament in students of grades 8-9 according to Eysenck.
Qty. boy Qty. dev. Total %
Temperament according to Eysenck (8 people) (22 people) (30 people)
Melancholic 1 6 7 23.3
Choleric 3 11 14 46.7
Sanguine 2 3 5 16.7
Phlegmatic 2 1 3 10.0
Choleric-sanguine - 1 1 3.3
Diagram 6. Types of temperament in students of grades 8-9 according to Eysenck (%).
Diagram 7. Types of temperament in students of grades 8-9 according to Eysenck among boys and girls.
The results of the study showed that the majority of respondents (46.7%) have a choleric type of temperament, most of them are girls (11 people). 23.3% of schoolchildren are melancholic, 10% phlegmatic, 16.7% sanguine. 1 girl - choleric-sanguine.
As a rule, one should talk about the predominance of certain traits of temperament, since they are rare in life in their pure form.
Temperament is one of the most significant personality traits. It determines the presence of many mental differences between people, including the intensity and stability of emotions, emotional impressionability, the pace and vigor of actions, as well as a number of other dynamic characteristics. In order to find out which type of temperament dominates over the others, the “Temperament Formula” test according to A. Belov was carried out. Summary data on the results of the "Temperament Formula" test in grades 8-9 are listed in table 6.
Table 6
Summary data on the results of the "Temperament Formula" test in grades 8-9.
Temperament according to Belov Kol. boy Qty. dev. Total %
(8 people) (22 people) (30 people)
Melancholic 1 1 2 6.7
Choleric 1 5 6 20
Sanguine 2 5 7 23.3
Phlegmatic 2 6 8 26.7
Sanguine-phlegmatic 1 3 4 13.3
Choleric-sanguine 1 2 3 10.0
Comparing the data obtained by the methods of Eysenck and Belov, we can draw the following conclusions:
1. According to the Eysenck method, 46.7% of the subjects have a choleric temperament, 16.7% have a sanguine temperament, 23.3% melancholic and 10% phlegmatic.
2. In the study according to the method of Belov, 20% of the subjects showed choleric temperament, 23.3% sanguine temperament, 6.7% melancholic, 26.7% phlegmatic temperament.
3. The discrepancy in the percentage of temperaments choleric and sanguistic can be explained as follows: in the study according to the Eysenck method on the introversion-extroversion scale, 43.3% of the subjects showed boundary values from 11 to 14 points (i.e., they can be defined as ambiverts), but if we consider the total percentage of choleric and sanguine according to both methods, then the difference reaches 16.6%. Only 5 people have false data. Maybe they responded in opposition to their self-image, such as what they want to be, not what they are. Consequently, the data obtained by the methods of Eysenck and Belov have close values, respectively, we can speak about the reliability of the data obtained.
A truly scientific explanation of temperaments is given by the teachings of I.P. Pavlov about the types of higher nervous activity.
I.P. Pavlov discovered three properties of the processes of excitation and inhibition: 1) the strength of the processes of excitation and inhibition; 2) the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition; 3) the mobility of the processes of excitation and inhibition.
The strength of nervous processes characterizes the working capacity, endurance of the nervous system and means its ability to endure either prolonged or short-term, but very strong excitation or inhibition. The opposite property - the weakness of nervous processes - characterizes the inability of nerve cells to withstand prolonged and concentrated excitation and inhibition.
The balance of nervous processes is the ratio of excitation and inhibition. In some people, these two processes are mutually balanced, while in others, balance is not observed: the process of inhibition or excitation predominates.
The mobility of nervous processes is the ability to quickly replace each other, the speed of movement of nervous processes (irradiation and concentration), the speed of the appearance of a nervous process in response to irritation, the speed of the formation of new conditional connections.
Combinations of these properties of nervous processes formed the basis for determining the type of higher nervous activity. Depending on the combination of strength, mobility and balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition, four main types of higher nervous activity are distinguished.
I.P. Pavlov correlated the types of nervous systems he identified with the psychological types of temperaments and discovered their complete similarity. Thus, temperament is a manifestation of the type of nervous system in human activity and behavior. As a result, the ratio of types of the nervous system and temperaments is as follows: 1) strong, balanced, mobile type (“live”, according to I.P. Pavlov - sanguine temperament; 2) strong, balanced, inert type (“calm”, according to I.P. .P. Pavlov - phlegmatic temperament, 3) strong, unbalanced, with a predominance of excitement ("unrestrained" type, according to IP Pavlov - choleric temperament); 4) weak type (“weak”, according to I.P. Pavlov - melancholic temperament). A weak type should by no means be considered a disabled or incomplete type. Despite the weakness of nervous processes, a representative of a weak type, developing his own individual style, can achieve great achievements in learning, work and creative activity, especially since a weak nervous system is a highly sensitive nervous system.
Classification of temperaments.
Sanguine temperament. The representative of this type is a lively, inquisitive, mobile (but without sharp, impetuous movements) person. As a rule, cheerful and cheerful. Emotionally unstable, easily succumbed to feelings, but they are usually not strong and not deep. He quickly forgets insults, relatively easily experiences failures. He is very inclined to the team, easily establishes contacts, sociable, friendly, affable, quickly converges with people, easily establishes good relations.
With proper upbringing, a sanguine person is distinguished by a highly developed sense of collectivism, responsiveness, an active attitude to educational work, work and social life. Under adverse conditions, when there is no systematic, purposeful education, a sanguine person may show a frivolous, carefree and careless attitude to business, scattered, inability and unwillingness to bring things to the end, a frivolous attitude to learning, work, other people, overestimation of oneself and one's capabilities.
Phlegmatic temperament. The representative of this type is slow, calm, unhurried. In activity shows solidity, thoughtfulness, perseverance. Inclined to order, familiar surroundings, does not like changes in anything. As a rule, he brings the work begun to the end. All mental processes in a phlegmatic person proceed slowly. This slowness can interfere with his learning activities, especially where you need to quickly memorize, quickly understand, figure out, quickly do. In such cases, the phlegmatic may show helplessness, but he usually remembers for a long time, thoroughly and firmly.
In relations with people, the phlegmatic is always even, calm, moderately sociable, his mood is stable. The calmness of a person of a phlegmatic temperament is also manifested in his attitude to the events and phenomena of life: a phlegmatic person is not easy to get angry and hurt emotionally, he avoids quarrels, he is not unbalanced by troubles and failures. With proper upbringing, a phlegmatic person easily develops such traits as perseverance, efficiency, perseverance. But in adverse circumstances, a phlegmatic person can develop such specific negative traits as lethargy, inertia, passivity, laziness. Sometimes a person of this temperament can develop an indifferent, indifferent attitude towards work, the surrounding life, people and even himself.
choleric temperament. Representatives of this type are distinguished by speed (sometimes feverish speed) of movements and actions, impulsiveness, and excitability. Their mental processes proceed quickly and intensively. The imbalance inherent in the choleric is clearly reflected in his activities: he takes up the matter with enthusiasm and even passion, takes the initiative, works with enthusiasm. But his supply of nervous energy can be quickly depleted in the process of work, especially when the work is monotonous and requires perseverance and patience, and then cooling may set in, uplift and inspiration disappear, and the mood drops sharply. The predominance of excitation over inhibition, characteristic of this temperament, is clearly manifested in communication with people with whom the choleric person allows harshness, irascibility, irritability, emotional restraint (which often does not give him the opportunity to objectively evaluate people's actions) and on this basis sometimes creates conflict situations in the team .
The positive aspects of the choleric temperament are energy, activity, passion, initiative. Negative manifestations - general incontinence, rudeness and harshness, irascibility, a tendency to affect - often develop in adverse conditions of life and activity.
Melancholy temperament. In representatives of this temperament, mental processes proceed slowly, people hardly react to strong stimuli; Prolonged and strong stress causes them to slow down their activity, and then stop it. They get tired quickly. But in a familiar and calm environment, people with such a temperament feel calm and work productively. Emotional states in people of a melancholic temperament arise slowly, but differ in depth, great strength and duration; melancholics are easily vulnerable, they can hardly endure insults, grief, but outwardly these experiences are expressed in them weakly.
Representatives of the melancholic temperament are prone to isolation, avoid communication with unfamiliar, new people, are often embarrassed, show great awkwardness in a new environment. In unfavorable conditions of life and activity, such traits as painful vulnerability, depression, gloom, suspiciousness, and pessimism can develop on the basis of a melancholic temperament. Such a person is alienated from the team, avoids social activities, plunges into his own experiences. But in favorable conditions, with proper education, the most valuable qualities of a melancholic personality are revealed. His impressionability, subtle emotional sensitivity, acute susceptibility to the world around him allow him to achieve great success in art - music, drawing, poetry. Melancholic people are often distinguished by softness, tact, delicacy, sensitivity and responsiveness: whoever is vulnerable himself usually subtly feels the pain that he causes to other people.
Temperament is expressed in a set of typological features of a person, which are manifested in the dynamics of psychological processes. We are talking about the speed of reaction and its strength, the emotional tone of life, etc. The physiological foundations of temperament determine psychological characteristics - emotional excitability, reactivity, sensitivity, etc.
Physiological and psychological foundations of temperament
The physiological foundations include the interaction of processes in the cortex and subcortex of the brain of the head. For temperament, the degree of excitability of the subcortical glands, which affect motility, statics and vegetatives, is of paramount importance. The famous scientist I.P. Pavlov in his research determined that the individual characteristics of a person depend on the properties of his nervous system. The basis of temperament is the type of nervous system, which can be strong and weak. At will, a person cannot change the characteristics of the nervous system, because they are inherited.
The physiological foundations of temperament in psychology are based on the dynamism of processes in nerve cells, the rate of production of negative connections, the lability of nervous processes, etc. The more one property of the nervous system manifests in a person, the less pronounced the corresponding indicator of temperament. The psychological foundations of temperament are closely related to the physiological properties of the nervous system. It is the biological foundations and characteristics of temperament that provide a subtle, clear and relevant adaptation to the environment. At the same time, the disadvantage 
any property of temperament is compensated by another.
Foreign psychologists have revealed the relationship of temperament with the structure of the body, the ratio of its parts and tissues. In any case, everything depends on hereditary characteristics, and that is why such a theory was called hormonal theory. Today, the type of temperament is understood as a set of psychological properties that are interconnected and common to one group of people.
Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation
FSEI HPE "NOVOSIBIRSK STATE AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY"
INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
department Socio-economic development of society
ESSAY
in the discipline "Psychology and Pedagogy"
Temperament as the physiological basis of character
Completed by: Petina Elena
1 course, group
Code: 07005у
Checked:
Novosibirsk 2007
1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………….3
2.Temperament
2.1 General concept of temperament ……………………………………………5
2.2 Physiological basis of temperament ………………………………...7
2.3 Psychological characteristics of temperaments…………………….10
2.4 Temperament and personality ……………………………………………….12
3. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………..13
4. List of literature used ……………………………………….15
1. Introduction
The main properties of personality include: temperament and character. Temperament is determined by the type of nervous system and reflects predominantly innate characteristics of behavior. Temperament expresses the attitude of a person to the events taking place around him. Any person must constantly take into account the temperament of the people with whom he has to work and communicate. This is necessary for effective interaction with them, reducing the likelihood of conflict situations, and avoiding possible stress. There are no better or worse temperaments. Therefore, efforts in contact with a person should not be directed at correcting him, but at the competent use of the merits and advantages of temperament while neutralizing negative manifestations.
The temperament and character of a person determine his typical reactions to those life situations, and, accordingly, the reactions of others to his behavior. Relations between people depend on these reactions, especially in cases where people meet for the first time and do not yet know each other well enough.
The type of temperament determines the dynamic features of individual human behavior: speed. Reactions, the pace of work or communication of people, emotionality and the level of general activity. It is necessary to adapt to each type of temperament and, knowing in advance individual differences in temperaments, one can prevent the emergence of tension in relations between people.
Distinguishing between people, according to the properties of temperament, they can be quite noticeable and, most often, they are so great that they cannot be ignored and somehow adapted to them by establishing good business relations and personal relationships.
"Temperament", "character", "personality" - these concepts initially contain a complex internal dialectic. We use them to define human individuality - what distinguishes a given person from all others, what makes him unique. At the same time, we assume in advance in this uniqueness the features that are common with other people, otherwise any classification, and even the very use of the listed concepts, would lose its meaning. What exactly are the features, sides, qualities, features of a person that each of these concepts reflects? The words "temperament", "character", "personality" are used by us constantly and everywhere, they are needed and fulfill their role. In everyday communication, a fairly specific meaning is invested in each of them, and mutual understanding is achieved with their help.
2. Temperament
General concept of temperament
In various sources of literature, the concept of temperament is interpreted in different ways, let's consider some of them.
Temperament - these are the innate characteristics of a person that determine the dynamic characteristics of the intensity and speed of response, the degree of emotional excitability and balance, the features of adaptation to the environment.
Temperament is the physiological basis for the formation of character.
Temperament is the individual characteristics of a person that determine the dynamics of the course of his mental processes and behavior. Dynamics is understood as the pace, rhythm, duration, intensity of mental processes, in particular emotional processes, as well as some external features of human behavior - mobility, activity, quickness or slowness of reactions, etc. Temperament characterizes the dynamism of a person, but does not characterize her beliefs, views, interests, is not an indicator of the value or low value of a person, does not determine its capabilities (one should not confuse the properties of temperament with the properties of character or abilities).
We can distinguish the following main components that determine temperament.
1. The general activity of mental activity and human behavior is expressed in varying degrees of desire to actively act, to master and transform the surrounding reality, to manifest itself in a variety of activities. The expression of general activity is different for different people.
Two extremes can be noted: on the one hand, lethargy, inertia, passivity, and on the other, great energy, activity, passion and swiftness in activity. Between these two poles are representatives of different temperaments.
2. Motor, or motor, activity shows the state of activity of the motor and speech-motor apparatus. It is expressed in speed, strength, sharpness, intensity of muscle movements and speech of a person, his external mobility (or, conversely, restraint), talkativeness (or silence).
3. Emotional activity is expressed in emotional sensitivity (susceptibility and sensitivity to emotional influences), impulsiveness, emotional mobility (quickness of change of emotional states, their beginning and termination). Temperament is manifested in the activity, behavior and actions of a person and has an external expression. To a certain extent, certain properties of temperament can be judged by external stable signs.
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who lived in the 5th century BC, described four temperaments, which received the following names: sanguine temperament, phlegmatic temperament, choleric temperament, melancholic temperament. The lack of necessary knowledge did not allow at that time to give a truly scientific basis for the doctrine of temperaments, and only studies of the higher nervous activity of animals and humans, conducted by I.P. Pavlov, established that the physiological basis of temperament is a combination of the basic properties of nervous processes.
The physiological basis of temperament
According to the teachings of IP Pavlov, the individual characteristics of behavior, the dynamics of the course of mental activity depend on individual differences in the activity of the nervous system. The basis of individual differences in nervous activity is the manifestation and correlation of the properties of the two main nervous processes - excitation and inhibition.
Three properties of excitation and inhibition processes were established:
1) the strength of the processes of excitation and inhibition,
2) the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition,
3) mobility (changeability) of the processes of excitation and inhibition.
The strength of nervous processes is expressed in the ability of nerve cells to endure prolonged or short-term, but very concentrated excitation and inhibition. This determines the performance (endurance) of the nerve cell.
Weakness of nervous processes is characterized by the inability of nerve cells to withstand prolonged and concentrated excitation and inhibition. Under the action of very strong stimuli, nerve cells quickly pass into a state of protective inhibition. Thus, in a weak nervous system, nerve cells are characterized by low efficiency, their energy is quickly depleted. But on the other hand, a weak nervous system has great sensitivity: even to weak stimuli, it gives an appropriate reaction.
An important property of higher nervous activity is the balance of nervous processes, that is, the proportional ratio of excitation and inhibition. In some people, these two processes are mutually balanced, while in others this balance is not observed: either the process of inhibition or excitation predominates.
One of the main properties of higher nervous activity is the mobility of nervous processes. The mobility of the nervous system is characterized by the rapidity of the processes of excitation and inhibition, the rapidity of their onset and termination (when life conditions require it), the speed of the movement of nervous processes (irradiation and concentration), the rapidity of the appearance of the nervous process in response to irritation, the rapidity of the formation of new conditioned connections, the development of and dynamic stereotype changes.
Combinations of these properties of the nervous processes of excitation and inhibition formed the basis for determining the type of higher nervous activity. Depending on the combination of strength, mobility and balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition, four main types of higher nervous activity are distinguished.
Weak type. Representatives of the weak type of the nervous system cannot withstand strong, prolonged and concentrated stimuli. Weak are the processes of inhibition and excitation. Under the action of strong stimuli, the development of conditioned reflexes is delayed. Along with this, there is a high sensitivity (i.e., a low threshold) to the actions of stimuli.
Strong balanced type. Distinguished by a strong nervous system, it is characterized by an imbalance in the basic nervous processes - the predominance of excitation processes over inhibition processes.
What is temperament
Temperaments.
A look at younger students through the prism of their
Temperament and abilities.
Temperament and character.
Temperament and communication.
Psychological characteristics of temperaments.
Physiological bases of temperament.
What is temperament.
Topic 1 TEMPERAMENT
All people differ in the peculiarities of their behavior: some are mobile, energetic, emotional, others are slow, calm, imperturbable, someone is closed, secretive, sad. In the speed of occurrence, depth and strength of feelings, in the speed of movements, the general mobility of a person, his temperament finds expression - a personality trait that gives a peculiar coloring to all the activities and behavior of people.
Temperament- these are the individual characteristics of a person that determine the dynamics of his mental activity and behavior.
Psychologists identify two main indicators of the dynamics of mental processes and behavior: activity and emotionality. Activity- these are the features of the pace, rhythm "of activity, the speed and strength of the flow of mental processes, the degree of mobility, the speed or slowness of reactions. Emotionality It is expressed in various human experiences and is characterized by varying degrees, the speed of occurrence and the strength of emotions, emotional impressionability. S.L. Rubinstein emphasized that the impressionability of a person and his impulsiveness are especially important for temperament, and that impressionability is characterized by the strength and stability of the impact that the impression has on a person, and impulsivity - by the strength of the impulse and the speed of the transition from impulse to action.
Even in ancient Greece, the physician Hippocrates proposed the concept of temperament. He taught that temperament depends on the ratio of the four fluids of the body and which of them predominates: blood (in Latin "sangve"), mucus (in Greek "phlegm"), red-yellow bile (in Greek "chole" ), black bile (in Greek "melain chole"). The mixture of these fluids, Hippocrates argued, underlies the main types of temperaments: sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic. The very term "temperament" in Latin means "proper ratio of parts."
Giving a generally correct description of the basic temperaments, Hippocrates could not give their scientific justification.
What are the scientific foundations of temperament?
I.P. Pavlov, studying the work of the cerebral hemispheres, found that all traits of temperament depend on features of higher nervous activity of a person. He proved that representatives of different temperaments change typological differences in strength, balance and mobility of the processes of excitation and inhibition in the cerebral cortex.
The power of nervous processes- this is the ability of nerve cells to endure strong excitation and prolonged inhibition, i.e. endurance and performance of nerve cells. The strength of the nervous process is expressed in the corresponding reaction to strong stimuli: strong stimuli cause strong processes of excitation in a strong nervous system, weak processes of excitation and inhibition in a weak nervous system.
Equilibrium implies a proportional ratio of these nervous processes. The predominance of excitatory processes over inhibition is expressed in the rapid formation of conditioned reflexes and their slow extinction. The predominance of inhibition processes over excitation is determined by the slow formation of conditioned reflexes and the speed of their extinction.
Mobility of nervous processes- this is the ability of the nervous system to quickly, in response to the requirements of environmental conditions, change the process of excitation by the process of inhibition and vice versa.
Various ratios of the specified properties of nervous processes were taken as the basis for the definition type of higher nervous activity.
The ratio of these processes is shown in the diagram:
Depending on the combination of strength, mobility and balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition, I.P. Pavlov identified four types of the nervous system, which correspond to four temperaments:
1. Sanguine- strong, balanced, mobile.
2. Phlegmatic- strong, balanced, inactive (inert).
3. Choleric- strong, but unbalanced, with weak inhibitory processes compared to excitation.
4. Melancholic- weak processes of excitation and inhibition.
We all know that people differ from each other in temperament. It is easy to determine the temperament of your friends and acquaintances, but it is much more difficult to determine your own temperament. And this is no coincidence.
Not all people are "pure" representatives of the basic temperaments. In life, there are many mixed and intermediate types of higher nervous activity, and consequently, temperaments. In most cases, there is a combination of features of one temperament with features of another. Temperament often changes somewhat with age.
1.3. Psychological characteristics of temperaments
sanguine- a person is fast, agile, responds emotionally to all impressions; however, his joy, grief, sympathies and other feelings are bright, but unstable and easily replaced by opposite feelings. I.P. Pavlov described such people as follows: “A sanguine person is a hot, very productive figure, but only when he has a lot of interesting things to do, i.e. there is constant excitement. When there is no such thing, he becomes boring, lethargic.
Sanguine quickly establishes social contact. He is almost always the initiator in communication, immediately responds to the desire to communicate on the part of another person, but his attitude towards people can be changeable and inconsistent. He, like a fish in water, feels himself in a large company of strangers, and a new, unusual environment only excites him (for example, Steve Oblonsky in Leo Tolstoy's novel "Anna Karenina").
Phlegmatic person- a person is slow, balanced and calm, who is not easy to emotionally hurt and impossible to piss off; his feelings are almost never manifested outwardly. In relationships with other people, they are calm, stable in their emotions. I.P. Pavlov remarked: "A phlegmatic person is a calm, always even, persistent and stubborn worker of life." Recall Pierre Bezukhov from the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace". But under certain conditions, indifference to work, to the surrounding life, lack of will can develop (for example, Oblomov in the novel of the same name by I. Goncharov). The phlegmatic establishes social contacts slowly, shows little of his feelings and does not notice for a long time that someone is looking for a reason to get to know him. But he is stable and constant in his attitude towards a person. He likes to be in a narrow circle of old acquaintances, in familiar surroundings.
Choleric- a person is fast, impetuous, with strong, flaming feelings, which are clearly reflected in expressive facial expressions, gestures, and speech. He is often prone to violent emotional outbursts. Cholerics have a rapid change of mood, imbalance, which is explained by the predominance of excitation over inhibition in higher nervous activity. I.P. Pavlov defined this type of temperament as follows: “A fighting type, perky, easily and quickly irritated” (a vivid example of this type is the old Prince Bolkonsky in L.N. Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace”).
Starting a business with enthusiasm, the choleric quickly cools down, interest in work disappears, and he continues without enthusiasm, and sometimes even quits it.
In communication, people of choleric temperament are difficult.
melancholic- does not respond emotionally to everything. He has a small variety of emotional experiences, but these experiences are of considerable depth, strength and duration. He does not respond to everything, but when he responds, he experiences a lot, although he does not express his feelings outwardly (for example, Princess Marya in Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace"). I.P. Pavlov noted that the melancholic, "getting into new conditions of life, is very lost." In a familiar, calm environment, people of this type work very productively, they are distinguished by the depth and content of their emotional and moral behavior and attitude towards people around them. Melancholic people are very touchy, hard to endure failures, resentment. They are disposed to isolation, loneliness, feel uncomfortable in a new, unusual environment, often embarrassed.