Who is a phlegmatic person - characteristics, temperament, personality description, character traits, famous people, professions

Phlegmatic: personality characteristics

A humorous theory of the origin of temperament types interprets history as follows: first choleric people appeared - they explored new lands, then sanguine people were needed - they captivated people with new ideas and lured people to newly discovered territories. Without phlegmatic people, there would be no one to cultivate the land, build reliable houses and do other important things. Cholerics, not staying in one place for long, continued to explore the world, and phlegmatic people explored and populated continents. The main features of a phlegmatic person are efficiency, taciturnity and balance. They are created for painstaking work: if they get carried away by something, they can forget about everything and concentrate on the object; it is almost impossible to distract them.

People of phlegmatic temperament are the golden mean, balancing violent choleric people, energetic sanguine people and methodical melancholic people. Phlegmatic people are peaceful and have a beneficial effect on everyone who is nearby. They usually advise not to take anything to heart and not to lose heart.

Description of a phlegmatic person and his temperament

A phlegmatic person is a person who is distinguished by calmness, constancy, and weak expression of feelings and emotions.

Phlegmatic man

Men of this type are the most reliable partners in family relationships.

A phlegmatic husband is the most successful match for a hysterical and nervous woman. High resistance to stress and a strong nervous system help him get along with such a wife happily ever after. Despite tolerance, phlegmatic men still value kindness and thriftiness in women.

The phlegmatic person is very stable in relationships

They like home comfort, orderliness and order in the house. Such a man prefers to live according to rules established once and for all, cares about material well-being, and always has funds set aside just in case. A husband with this type of temperament is characterized by stable relationships and does not look for connections on the side.

Adultery is not his style. If a melancholic spouse has any hobby, he will devote a lot of time to it, regardless of whether his wife likes it or not.

Phlegmatic woman

Women with this temperament rarely commit rash, spontaneous actions. Their psyche is characterized by emotional stability. Such ladies bring all their affairs to completion, albeit slowly. A wife with a phlegmatic temperament will never show her true emotions to her husband; it is very difficult to determine from her appearance what is going on in her soul.

This woman endures even a strong insult without expressed bitterness; she would rather withdraw into herself to think everything over. If a phlegmatic lady becomes extremely upset and starts crying, it will be very difficult to calm her down.

Phlegmatic child

The slowness of a little phlegmatic person often infuriates parents, but, in general, he is a very calm and balanced child. Phlegmatic kids are the most obedient and compliant children. They rarely protest against the actions of their parents; they invent games for themselves and occupy their time. In the first months of life, if the baby has the necessary conditions, he eats and sleeps well.

Children of this temperament love to cuddle with their mother, but will never be capricious about this. From childhood, phlegmatic people show their romantic inclinations, the ability to think deeply and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. In their relationships with others, such children are most often shy and uninitiative. They have a sharp mind, but slow reactions.

Relationship Compatibility

We have already found out that phlegmatic people easily get along with representatives of all types of temperament. However, with some of them the love union turns out to be more successful than with others.

• With a phlegmatic person

It is with a representative of his temperament that a phlegmatic person is able to build an ideal relationship. In such a couple, both are calm, patient and understand each other perfectly.

They are reliable, loyal and conservative. Family comes first for them, and they are ready to turn a blind eye to each other’s shortcomings in order to save the marriage. However, sometimes conflicts may arise due to the stubbornness of both, but, as a rule, they do not reach the acute phase.

• With a melancholic person

Such a union is quite possible, although the compatibility of these temperaments is considered average. Both partners are introverts, which means their lifestyles and habits are similar. They prefer solitude to noisy companies; they like to sit at home and spend time doing quiet activities.

The main differences concern emotionality. If a phlegmatic person is cold-blooded, calm and rational, then a melancholic person is sensitive, vulnerable and anxious. This discrepancy can lead to conflicts over time. The melancholic person will suffer from a lack of expressions of love from the partner, and the phlegmatic person will be irritated by the pessimism and emotionality of the melancholic person.

• With a sanguine person

A phlegmatic person and a sanguine person do not get along well together. At first, the first may be attracted by the activity and energy of the second, but soon he will begin to be irritated by the frivolity and inconsistency inherent in the sanguine person.

And over time, the sanguine person will begin to tire of the conservatism and tediousness of the phlegmatic person. He will want to escape from the captivity of rules and strict routines to where life is in full swing.

• With a choleric person

Such a union is considered strong and harmonious, despite strong differences in character. Phlegmatic and choleric, like yin and yang, complement each other. A prudent phlegmatic person carefully weighs every step, unlike a determined choleric person who always cuts from the shoulder. Together they manage to reach a golden mean.

An explosive choleric person next to a phlegmatic person becomes calmer and more restrained, and the latter “comes to life” next to a more energetic partner.

Psychological characteristics of a phlegmatic person: features of memory and emotions

A phlegmatic person is an introvert, with a peaceful and calm character, an even mood and hidden emotions.

The main features of this type, described by psychologists:

1. They deal with stressful situations by monotonously doing their usual tasks.
2. Phlegmatic people, for the most part, are prone to skepticism.
3. Sudden changes in the environment can throw them off balance, but after studying all the circumstances, phlegmatic people successfully continue their usual actions.
4. Balance and calmness create the basis for extreme productivity.
5. Perseverance allows you to remember and analyze large amounts of information.
6. Phlegmatic people are realists; they do not create illusions or rosy plans.
7. Phlegmatic people are able to empathize and support loved ones, but they rarely make their emotions public.

Suitable professions

Phlegmatic people should choose a profession based on their strengths. A job with a clearly defined range of responsibilities and a standard schedule is suitable for them.

The less they are disturbed in the workplace, the better, because they need peace and quiet to concentrate on the process. You should avoid professions that involve constant movement and communication with people.

Suitable professions:

• Researcher,
• engineer,
• librarian,
• archivist,
• economist,
• medical worker.

Personality traits characteristic of a phlegmatic person

The main character trait of a phlegmatic person is restraint and balance.

In addition, a person with such a temperament has special traits:

1. In a family, a phlegmatic person will stay in the shadows, not create problems, but at the same time be aware of all events and make the most important and correct decisions.

2. Possessing logical thinking and a sober mind, phlegmatic people rarely act as leaders. They don't like publicity.
3. Phlegmatic people do not make far-reaching plans, preferring to put up with the situation that has developed at the moment.
4. They lack passion and the desire to achieve a goal by any means. Success comes to them through monotonous and patient activity.
5. Despite their apparent equanimity, phlegmatic people are able to solve any problem, since they will spend a lot of time thinking about the situation from all sides, and only after that they will begin to act.
6. It is difficult for a phlegmatic person to take the initiative in meeting the opposite sex.
7. When a stressful situation arises, only people with a phlegmatic temperament will not panic and will continue their normal activities, even with complete chaos around them.
8. A phlegmatic person does not place excessive demands on himself and easily seeks compromise solutions that will satisfy all parties. Does not seek to establish himself at the expense of others.
9. A phlegmatic person can be considered a pessimist, but this is most likely a readiness to calmly accept all everyday troubles, because he perceives life realistically, as it is, with all its unpleasant moments.

The phlegmatic is the most patient psychotype of all temperaments. Such a person can endure a lot by repeating the same actions over and over again.

How to recognize a phlegmatic person

In the course of numerous observations, psychologists have come to the conclusion that temperament is not just a set of characteristics, but a stable structure that determines a person’s traits from birth.

In the science of socionics, there are a number of signs that make it possible to recognize belonging to a certain type by appearance, facial expressions, and actions. Temperaments are associated with subtypes. In this connection, the phlegmatic person belongs to the sensory-logical subtype.

You can recognize a typical phlegmatic person even before getting to know him closely by a number of characteristic external signs:

1. The figure is strong, dense, knocked down with somewhat angular shapes. The body is square or rectangular in shape.
2. Wide and strong bones and muscles.
3. Rounded belly and chest.
4. Short round legs and arms, with massive muscles.
5. Due to a slow metabolism and poor nutrition, a tendency to accumulate excess weight develops.

6. The head is elongated, elliptical in shape, with a wide angular skull, a flat nape and a short transition to the neck.
7. Cheekbones are weakly expressed.
8. The nose is large, straight or slightly bent downwards.
9. The neck is short and thick.
10. The gait is slow, “floating.” Movements are measured and unhurried.

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Characteristics of a phlegmatic person: pros and cons

The character traits of a phlegmatic person cannot be called ideal, nor can they be called negative. They have their positive and negative sides.

Positive traits

• Incredible work ethic. Phlegmatic people are tireless workers who always get things done to the end.
• Stable mood, stable emotions, equanimity.
• Immune to stress. Phlegmatic people rarely have attacks of rage or melancholy. They face difficulties with composure and overcome them with dignity.
• Patience. The processes of excitation and inhibition in phlegmatic people are stable, so they do not have the desire to give up everything or start a new life on Monday.
• Determination. The phlegmatic person moves towards his goal slowly but persistently.

Relationships with a phlegmatic person

A phlegmatic person in a family is a reliable builder and creator of a sustainable and stable life; he will never leave his other half or get involved in adventurous adventures. The presence of such a person in the environment brings calm and orderliness to relationships.

His diplomacy allows him to show leniency to the whims of a melancholic person, to complete the undertakings of a sanguine person and to extinguish the violent outbursts of a choleric person. However, it is precisely his stubbornness and reluctance to change, hidden emotionality, that often lead to misunderstandings on the part of relatives and friends.

It is possible to build harmonious relationships in a family if the reasons for the behavior of each member in accordance with his innate temperament are clear.

As for the phlegmatic person, advice regarding him will be as follows:

1. A phlegmatic person cannot be classified as a recluse. He feels good among friends, knows how to support company, but periodic solitude and withdrawal into himself are vital for him. There is no need to interfere with this and is understanding when such a partner prefers to be left alone with himself. Having personal space is very important for a phlegmatic person.
2. You cannot demand that a phlegmatic person quickly make an important decision. He needs time to think everything over; you can be sure that his conclusion, although forced, will be the most correct.
3. Sudden changes in the usual course of life are not for him. If the need to radically change something is really ripe, the phlegmatic person can only be persuaded with reasoned arguments. His logic is fine. He will accept new things if necessary and gradually get used to different circumstances.
4. Rest for a phlegmatic person is communication with nature, books, old friends, and doing what you love. Extreme sports and conquering unexplored peaks are not his strong point. Therefore, if spouses disagree on this issue, it is better to spend their vacation separately. It is useless to blame your partner for misunderstanding - it will only ruin the relationship.
5. You cannot accuse a phlegmatic person of callousness if he does not show sympathy. He is very worried inside, but he will most likely express the manifestation of feelings with deeds, deeds, and concrete help.
6. What irritates phlegmatic people is empty talk about nothing , idle entertainment, and adventurous activities.
7. Phlegmatic people are not always able to understand figurative speech ; they love specific statements and clear explanations.

Scientists debate whether temperament type is inherited. There is no consensus on this matter. It happens that people with different emotional levels come together in a family.

What would a relationship with a phlegmatic person look like in this case:

1. Phlegmatic-choleric - the most favorable union. Extroverted choleric people are able to stir up an inert phlegmatic person and speed up his actions, while phlegmatic people significantly relax choleric people.

2. A phlegmatic person communicates well with a cheerful sanguine person , cools him down somewhat, and himself becomes more relaxed
3. The phlegmatic - melancholic couple is somewhat boring, the relationship of such people develops very slowly.
4. Phlegmatic people rarely get along with others like themselves, since both are in no hurry to start a relationship . Only an extraordinary situation can form such an alliance.

Rules of coexistence

• Give him privacy. Phlegmatic people are not necessarily recluses, but they need silence and solitude more than others.
• Do not demonstrate your increased emotionality. A phlegmatic person will not appreciate your frantic temperament and eccentric charm. The horror of a phlegmatic person is someone’s outbursts of anger and sudden changes in mood. Therefore, try to remain calm.
• Don’t demand decisive action from him, let him think it over carefully.
• Phlegmatic conservatives avoid changes in life. Moving, renovations, changing wardrobe are shocks for a calm person. If you like to conquer mountains or hang glider, do not try to introduce your phlegmatic person to these extreme activities. Loving you, he may agree to share your intense joy, but this will not be the most pleasant event in his life.

Raising a phlegmatic person

A calm, obedient child who can play with himself for hours without bothering his parents with whining is the dream of every mother! Phlegmatic children are diligent, thoroughly complete assigned tasks, and usually study well. They do not get into fights and do not strive to defend their interests; they always complete the work they start.

At the same time, such a child is sedentary, does not like active games, and as a result, health problems may arise. He prefers to play by himself more often than in a group of children.

This causes problems in kindergarten and school. In the process of studying, the opinion may arise that the child is slow-witted and does not understand the essence of the tasks; in fact, he is just very slow to turn on, he needs more time to think. But he will do and learn everything thoroughly.

Despite the apparent absence of problems, a phlegmatic child requires special treatment. A sharp desire to stir him up can lead to a mental breakdown. At the same time, if you do not correct behavior at all, you can raise a gloomy, uncommunicative and gloomy pessimist.

Psychologists advise adhering to certain rules in raising such children:

1. Since the child does everything slower than usual, you need to calculate your time with a margin so as not to rush or irritate him.

2. To better assimilate the material, the child needs an accurate explanation.
3. What you need to fight is innate laziness and stubbornness, but do it patiently, teach from childhood to set goals for yourself and strive to fulfill them.
4. You cannot force a phlegmatic child into active sports, especially ones that require team play and quick reactions. It is better to choose single species.
5. Children of this type benefit from educational games; they love to put together puzzles and become interested in chess at an early age.
6. The main incentive is praise and approval.
7. In order to overcome excessive shyness and the desire to be alone with a child, it is useful to be in crowded places more often, to visit people, to playgrounds where there are other children. It is very good if a little phlegmatic person has an energetic and active friend who will attract him to his games.
8. It is difficult for a child to switch attention to another type of activity, but this will become a necessary quality in later life, so you need to find games that will teach you to do this.
9. It is very important to teach a phlegmatic child to show emotions. To do this, you need to talk with him a lot, talk about the experiences of other people, and encourage him to talk out loud about his observations.

Only proper upbringing and training will help a phlegmatic person grow into a successful and sought-after person.

Phlegmatic at work

A phlegmatic person is a person with a perfectly stable nervous system and extreme endurance. With the right choice of profession and type of activity, he achieves great success thanks to perseverance, patience, a penchant for analysis and the desire to bring everything to completion.

A phlegmatic person will not participate in collective squabbles . In a stressful situation, these people remain unperturbed; they are the ones who take upon themselves the solution to the problem that has arisen. Only a phlegmatic person can perform routine work efficiently and conscientiously, which requires monotony and a careful approach.

Phlegmatic people are rarely leaders who can ignite and captivate, preferring to remain in the shadows; they rarely strive for high career heights. At the same time, they often become bosses, thorough and reflective leaders. Such a boss will never scold a subordinate in public, but his hidden discontent is much worse.

Phlegmatic people become excellent programmers, system administrators, and proofreaders. Their qualities are indispensable in the work of a jeweler, laboratory assistant, and accountant. Phlegmatic people are the best scientists and researchers. They show themselves well wherever they do not need to actively communicate with a large number of people, conduct public speeches, or quickly change the situation.

What did Hippocrates come up with?

Photo by Jenna Anderson on Unsplash The
ancient Greek philosopher and physician is known to the world not only as the creator of the “bench” for the treatment of dislocations and fractures, which bears his name, but also as a pioneer in the field of studying human temperament.

Thus, the division of all psychophysiological characteristics of behavior according to four categories (phlegmatic, choleric, sanguine, melancholic) belongs specifically to Hippocrates.

According to his research, a certain vital juice predominates in the body of each person to varying degrees.

Phlegmatic people, for example, have a high concentration of lymph, thanks to which these people live according to the principle “everything is calm in Baghdad.”

Famous phlegmatic people

Finding themselves in an environment favorable for the development of their abilities, phlegmatic people achieve significant success thanks to their perseverance and hard work.

Many famous philosophers, writers, and researchers belong to this psychological type.

1. Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745 - 1813) - a famous Russian commander who defeated Napoleon (choleric by temperament).

2. Ivan Andreevich Krylov (1769-1844) - Russian fabulist, publicist, publisher. Living in a poor family, he received his education through persistent self-study.
3. Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) – first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. During his student years, he was considered an unsociable bore who devoted all his free time to studying. This did not prevent him from taking a high position and raising the post-war country from ruins in a relatively short time.
4. Andrei Sakharov (1921 – 1989) – physicist, inventor of the hydrogen bomb, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He defended his candidate's and then doctor's dissertations and became an academician, bypassing the degree of corresponding member at the age of 32.
5. Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642) is one of the founders of modern experimental-theoretical natural science. His area of ​​interest extended beyond the natural sciences. He studied mechanics, philosophy, and mathematics. He devoted his entire life to his favorite work, despite the harsh persecution of the Inquisition.
6. Emmanuel Kant (1724 – 1804) is the founder of German classical philosophy, whose books are the basis of modern world philosophy. The great thinker proved the participation of the Supreme Mind in the creation of the world. His whole life was devoted to science. Kant led a solitary life and did not dare to start a family so as not to interrupt his favorite activity. The main character trait of Kant is highly developed perfectionism. His daily routine was planned down to the minute. He never changed where he walked, where he had lunch, or where things were located.
7. Anthony Van Leeuwenhoek (1632 -1723) – Dutch naturalist, inventor of the microscope and pioneer of scientific microscopy. He began his famous journey with a hobby - making lenses. The desire to improve products and painstaking work over many years led to the greatest discoveries. It was impossible to tear him away from studying microorganisms. After his death, more than one hundred and fifty different lenses and about three hundred microscopes were counted in the office.

An example of the negative development of qualities inherent in phlegmatic people is the biography of dictator Joseph Stalin. Phlegmatic people do not like publicity and rarely become actors, but Keanu Reeves, Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman managed not only to build a career in this field, but to become one of the most famous world stars.

Why phlegmatism is bad

Consistency is a good character trait, but only in certain situations. For example, it is good to consistently do your job well or to be consistent in a relationship. In the case of a phlegmatic person, not everything is so simple.

A classic example of phlegmatism is the fairy tale about Masha and the three bears. “Who was sitting on my chair and moved it from its place?” - the puzzled heroes ask. It would seem that this is not as terrible as breaking into someone else’s house or damaging property (a broken chair, eaten porridge, a rumpled bed), but each of the bears is initially concerned only with themselves and only with their “constant”.

The same goes for phlegmatic people. They a priori do not like change. Despite strong nerves, rearranging the furniture in the apartment, replacing a toothbrush and other household little things is extremely difficult for them. In severe cases, breakdowns, attacks of rage, a desire to tear and throw into pieces are possible, just to return everything to its usual form (it’s no wonder Mashenka ran away from the hut so quickly).

Psychological tests to identify a phlegmatic person

In life, it is rare to encounter any type of temperament in the form in which psychologists describe it, but still, the predominance of basic qualities and behavioral characteristics make it possible to classify a person as one of the types.

Determining phlegmaticity is important for understanding relationships with a person, for choosing an occupation or future profession at a young age. Tests compiled by experienced psychologists can help in this matter.

1. The classic test using the Eysenck method consists of questions that relate to the usual way of behavior. The answers include only “yes” and “no”.
2. The Heymans test consists of 10 blocks, each of which includes 3 questions. The test helps determine the type of temperament and sociotype based on the diagnosis of individual qualities.
3. The Belov test is an example of a classic test that does not focus on the predominant type, but shows the ratio of the presence of signs of all temperaments in one person.
4. Color test - determines the dominant temperament based on color preferences.
5. A test to determine a child’s temperament gives an idea of ​​the predominant type of temperament in children from 5 to 9 years old.

A phlegmatic person, like a person with any other temperament, develops his inclinations based on external circumstances. This means that under the influence of society, and as a result of working on oneself over the period of one’s life, the ratio of psychological types in an individual can change in different directions.

Author: Nadya Boyko

Article design: Vladimir the Great

In what areas of activity do phlegmatic people find themselves?

Measured actions, realism, dominance of reason over emotions (or even maximum suppression of the latter) are above all for people with this type of temperament. Therefore, when choosing a field of activity, they will refuse noise, fuss, violence, crowds of people and other irritants.

Photo by Thirdman: Pexels

They need privacy, peace, and time to think. But, having languidly brewed tea and looked out the window, they suddenly come to the correct (for the most part) conclusions and decisions.

In their professional activities, phlegmatic people achieve success in the field of investigators, researchers, librarians, archivists and other professions where their psychophysiological qualities can be revealed to the maximum.