From: noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring)
Subject: Re: Do Cultures Exhibit a Collective Personality That Changes With Time?
Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 01:25:09 GMT

In article kyrsten@eos.arc.nasa.gov (Kyrsten Swazey) writes:
>rosch@cpdw.enet.dec.com (Ray Rosch) writes:

>>>>>Is it possible for cultures to exhibit an overall 'personality', somewhat
>>>>>akin to individual human personalities, and that these cultural
>>>>>'personalities' can dynamically and dramatically change over time?  For

>>>I've often played with this idea and have for fun come up with the
>>>following conclusions:
>>> 
>>>Germans - melancholic
>>>Italians, Spaniards - sanguine
>>>Australians - phlegmatic
>>>Americans, french - choleric

>>	I take exception to the above.  To state that American and French
>>	have anything is common is an annoyance to the French and an insult
>>	to the Americans!

>What's the deal with this American anti-French and French anti-American
>thing?
>Isn't it possible that the reason there is such an ongoing conflict
>between the two is because we are so similar to one-another.  Due to our
>being so much the same we are that much more annoyed by what we see in
>the other culture.
>BTW, could someone quickly run thru the differences between melancholic,
>sanguine, phlegmatic, and choleric.  I'm sure someone posted it already,
>but I can;t seem to remember wht they are.


With pleasure.  Here's an excerpt from the MBTI summary:

============================================================================

THE FOUR SOCRATIC TEMPERATMENT TYPES CORRELATED TO MYERS-BRIGGS

There are other systems that have been developed to type personality.  The
most well-known one, and the oldest, is the Socratic system of four types:
melancholic, sanguine, choleric, and phlegmatic.  There are certain
combinations of Myers-Briggs preferences that seem to correlate well with
the older Socratic system.  In the same order they are the SJ, SP, NT, and NF.


Melancholic:  SJ (38% of population)

Key Focus:  Responsibility	
Fundamental Emotional Need:  To Maintain Order

Beliefs/behaviors
-- Conserves heritage and tradition, or establishes new ones
-- Can be very analytic
-- Belief in hierarchy:  subordination and superordination
-- Rules:  compelled to be bound and obligated
-- My duty is to serve, give, care, save, share
-- "Shoulds" & "oughts";  "be prepared"
-- Fosters and creates social units:  clubs, church groups
-- Management Style:  Traditionalist, Stabilizer, Consolidator



Sanguine:  SP (38% of population)

Key Focus:  Freedom, Independence
Fundamental Emotional Need:  To Have Fun

Beliefs/behaviors
-- Impulsive - can be very expressive
-- To do what I want, when I want
-- Action to fulfill my current needs, impulses, not as investment for longer
   term need
-- Works dramatically and quickly in crisis
-- Hungers for action without constraints
-- Tremendous stamina
-- Management Style:  Troubleshooter, Negotiator, Fire Fighter



Choleric:  NT (12% of population)

Key Focus:  Competence
Fundamental Emotional Need:  To Lead and Control

Beliefs/behaviors
-- Tries to understand "whys" of the universe
-- Very demanding of selves and others - a driver
-- "Should have known" and "Should have done better"
-- Cooly objective;  straightforward in dealing with others
-- Reluctance to state obvious;  little redundancy in communications
-- Work is for improvement, perfection, proof of skills
-- Love of knowledge
-- Management Style:  Visionary, Architect of Systems, Builder



Phlegmatic:  NF (12% of population)

Key Focus:  Search for Self
Fundamental Emotional Need:  Peace and Harmony

Beliefs/behaviors
-- "How do I become the person I really am?" 
-- Value relationships
-- Harmony with others - can be very amiable
-- Desire to inspire and persuade
-- Need to live a life of significance
-- Search for unique identity
-- Tend to focus on the good in others
-- Management style:  Catalyst, Spokesperson, Energizer


=============================================================================

There you have it.  Enjoy.

Jon Noring


-- 

Charter Member of the INFJ Club.

Now, if you're just dying to know what INFJ stands for, be brave, e-mail me,
and I'll send you some information.  It WILL be worth the inquiry, I think.

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