From a psychological perspective, character refers to what a person is like; that is, we understand character as a set of traits that define the person as they are.

Furthermore, it’s important to note that personality is shaped by a person’s character and temperament. Some authors argue that character can change throughout a person’s life, influenced by factors such as education, environment, health, and life experiences.

Ultimately, it is considered that having one character or another is the result of a person’s experiences from birth. Character traits can change as a person faces new situations.

Character types 

1. Phlegmatic character

People with a phlegmatic temperament tend to be very patient, which makes them persevering and methodical when they want to achieve their goals. They also tend to be indifferent to any difficulties that may arise. However, these individuals often struggle with decision-making because, although their opinions are independent, they tend to worry about the long-term consequences of their actions.

There are other aspects that characterize people with a phlegmatic temperament, such as being calm, controlled, introspective, very intelligent, open-minded, and concerned about their principles, among others.

2. Choleric temperament

People with a choleric temperament are defined by their great ability to adapt to change. They tend to be in a good mood, although they can become angry quickly. They are highly intelligent and courageous.

Because of their ability to adapt to new situations, people with a choleric temperament tend to enjoy change, preferring to be active and seek out new experiences. For this reason, they are often not very patient or disciplined, as their need for change hinders or prevents them from adapting, which is the negative aspect of a choleric temperament.

These are people who often tend to exaggerate what happens to them, letting themselves be carried away by their impulses. Furthermore, this personality type is characterized by being impulsive, extroverted, active, innovative, excitable, and talkative.

3. Blood type

The third personality type is the sanguine temperament. People with a sanguine temperament are characterized by being calm and courageous, although they also tend to be selfish, distrustful, and cynical. Furthermore, they are very practical people who are passionate about both work and money.

They are also typically good at abstract thinking, but conversely, they are not interested in deep conversations, preferring instead practical matters and the present moment. People with a sanguine temperament usually relate easily to others and also tend to have a great capacity for understanding difficult and complex situations. Finally, it is worth noting that they are very liberal in their political ideology.

4. Apathetic character

They tend to be people with a lack of interests and ideas. They also have difficulty relating to others. They are melancholic, withdrawn, stubborn, passive, indifferent, lazy, difficult to get to know, and they like routines. As for the emotions that apathetic people usually feel, they are generally negative and persistent emotions, meaning they last constantly over time.

However, people with an apathetic temperament are comfortable in solitude ; therefore, their difficulties relating to others are not a problem, as they don’t need the company of others to feel good and happy. These people, despite everything, feel more at ease with themselves compared to those with a sentimental temperament.

5. Passionate character

Passionate people are more prudent than choleric people, although they also tend to enjoy movement and activity. Passionate people are characterized by being assertive, decisive, and placing great importance on honor, loyalty, and/or objectivity.

Passionate people tend to like order and are often politically conservative. They highly value traditions and often show altruistic behavior toward those under their control. Furthermore, people with this type of personality usually face obstacles fearlessly and typically overcome them thanks to their work ethic.

6. Sentimental character

The sixth type of personality is the sentimental personality. As its name suggests, people with a sentimental personality are characterized by the constant presence of a very strong emotional and sentimental component.

They tend to experience very powerful and intense , yet persistent, emotions, whether negative or positive. Therefore, these individuals are often observant, subjective, retrospective, obsessive, stubborn, idealistic, and romantic. Furthermore, they often have difficulty accepting change and are generally not comfortable with themselves.

7. Nervous character

People with a nervous temperament tend to feel everything that happens to them very intensely and powerfully. They are very energetic, impulsive, playful, sensitive, disorganized, undisciplined, and frivolous.

People with this type of personality often have difficulty making decisions, lose interest in anything easily and quickly, and tend to seek adventures and new experiences. They experience frequent mood swings and tend to exaggerate everything that happens to them.

8. Amorphous character

People with an amorphous character are mainly characterized by being lazy, disorganized, clumsy, calm, conformist, easily influenced, they avoid effort and tend to postpone things they have to do for later (“I’ll do it later”, “I’d better leave it for tomorrow”, etc.).

People with this type of character do not pay attention to the consequences that may have in the future, they only live in the present and, therefore, do not give much importance to the consequences of their actions and do just what is necessary to be able to live day to day trying to satisfy basic needs, such as eating and sleeping.

9. Insecure character

People with an insecure personality type are often people who have difficulty carrying out their actions; as the name suggests, they exhibit personal and emotional insecurity and doubt their actions, whether they are correct or not, whether they will have negative consequences, among other things.

There are several characteristics that can define people with an insecure personality: they often lack self-confidence, avoid breaking with routine, and shy away from new experiences and situations. For this reason, they avoid seeking new sensations and experiences.

People with this type of personality fear the judgments others may make about them. They experience frequent problems in their personal relationships, often involving jealousy, mistrust, and other issues. This frequently leads to low self-esteem in insecure individuals. People with this personality type typically have negative thoughts and tend to see the bad side of everything.

10. Obsessive character

This is typical of people who tend to perform many rituals and routines in order to reduce the anxiety they would experience if these routines were not followed. They are usually characterized by worrying excessively about everyday problems and situations, dwelling on everything (conversations, images, thoughts, situations…) to the point of being unable to control or stop these constant thoughts that keep them constantly going over things.

Sometimes, all of this leads to a negative effect on the mood and behavior of people with this type of character.

They tend to be perfectionists, meticulous, and organized, with an extreme need to clean both their surroundings and their own bodies, among other things. However, it’s important not to confuse obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD).

11. Sensitive character

Sensitive people tend to be highly susceptible and sensitive. They have difficulty making decisions, are affected by strong sounds or smells, and are sensitive to criticism from others. For this reason, others tend to speak to them more gently and tactfully to avoid upsetting them too much.

They tend to be  overly empathetic and are deeply affected by other people’s problems. They also prefer teamwork , but without having to make the final decisions. Finally, people with this personality type show a fear of risk. In other words, they prefer not to break with their daily routines and avoid seeking new sensations and experiences.

*This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used to make a diagnosis or recommend treatment. We encourage you to consult a psychologist to address your specific situation. Published on psicologia-online.com

Literature

Izquierdo, A. (2002). Temperament, character, personality. An approach to their concept and interaction. Complutense Journal of Education, 13(2), 617-643.
Quintanilla, B. (2003). Mature personality. Temperament and character. Mexico: Cruz O. Publications, SA
Rodríguez, A. (n.d.). Character: definition, how it is formed and types.