Unlock Personality: 4 Theories of Hippocrates, Kretschmer, Sheldon, Jung for effective teaching

Personality

The English version of personality is ‘personality’, derived from the Latin word ‘persona‘, meaning mask (worn by actors while performing).

Initially, personality was defined based on dress or appearance (Hippocrates) , with well-dressed individuals considered to have good personalities and simply dressed individuals considered to have bad personalities. This line of thinking was later rejected.

Over time, 49 definitions of personality were presented. The 50th definition was presented by Allport (Allport, 1937) after analyzing all previous definitions:

“Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustment to the environment.”

A more accepted definition was presented by Walter Mischel:

“Personality usually refers to the characteristic patterns of behavior (including thought and emotion) that determine each individual’s adjustment to life circumstances.”

This definition highlights that:

1. Personality is a combination of physical and mental factors, including glandular function, neural processes, intellect, emotions, habits, and character.

2. Personality undergoes changes in the organization of physical and mental qualities.

For example, a person may exhibit dutiful, punctual, and honest behavior before securing a job, but their honesty may wane after getting the opportunity, illustrating the dynamic nature of personality.

3. Personality determines one’s unique adjustment to the environment. Each person adapts differently to common situations and events.

In conclusion, personality comprises a dynamic organization of various traits, resulting in unique behavior and thinking patterns in any environment.

A. Personality Type Theory:

Type theory is the oldest theory of personality.

According to this, a person can be divided into specific types. The first type theory was presented by Hippocrates in 400 BC. He described four types of personality based on body fluids. According to this, four main fluids are found in our body.

1. Yellow Bile

Due to the predominance of yellow bile, a person’s nature is irritable. They are more restless. Such persons are hot-blooded. This type is called choleric in Hippocrates.

2. Black Bile

When black bile is predominant, the person looks sad or depressed. This type is called melancholic.

2. Blood

The predominance of blood makes a person cheerful and happy. This type of personality is called sanguine.

3. Phlegm

A person with a predominance of phlegm or mucus is calm in nature, and inactivity is more prevalent in them. This type of personality is called detached type.

This approach is not valid in modern times, as there is no clear evidence that the fluids described by Hippocrates actually exist in humans.

B. On the basis of physical qualities:

German psychiatrist Kretschmer has described four types of personalities based on physical qualities:

(i) Pyknic Type:

Such a person is short in height, has a heavy and round body. The neck of such people is short and thick.

Such people are social, cheerful, and enjoy eating, drinking, and sleeping a lot. Kretschmer has described them as having a Cycloid type of temperament.

(ii) Asthenic Type:

Tall, lean, and thin-bodied, with less developed muscles. They have less weight than the normal weight for their age, are irritable by nature, and tend to avoid social responsibilities.

This type of mental nature has been termed as Schizoid by Kretschmer.

(iii) Athletic Type:-

Muscles are well-developed and strong. They are neither too tall nor too short in height. Their body is balanced in every way. They are neither too restless nor too depressed. They easily adapt themselves to changing situations. They receive more social prestige.

(iv) Dysplastic Type:-

This type includes characteristics from all three types described above. No single type’s characteristics are clearly evident in it.

C. On the basis of physique:

Sheldon in 1940 classified personality on the basis of physical structure, it was called Somatotype Theory:

(i) Endomorphy:-

In this type, people are fat and short, with a round body. They are comfort-loving, cheerful, social, and fond of eating and drinking.

This type is similar to Kretschmer’s pyknic type.

(ii) Mesomorphy:-

In this type, a person’s bones and muscles are well-developed. The body structure is well-shaped. These people enjoy social interactions.

This type is similar to Kretschmer’s athletic type.

(iii) Ectomorphy:-

Tall in stature, they have underdeveloped muscles and prefer to stay alone. They are shy and coy by nature.

They are similar to Kretschmer’s asthenic type.

D. On the basis of psychological qualities:-

Jung has described two types:

(i) Extrovert:

Their interests lie in social work, and they are cheerful. They like to mingle with other people. They are optimistic, and such people are more useful to society.

(ii) Introvert

These are the opposite of extroverts. They have opposite qualities. They do not want to mingle with people. They are self-centered. Such people are conservative. They like loneliness and follow old customs.

Ambivert- These types have been criticized on the grounds that some people do not fall into either of these categories. Psychologists have called people with such qualities ambiverts.