Question

Explain any four type theories in detail.

Answer 1

1. Hippocrates: The Greek physician Hippocrates had proposed a personality typology based on fluid or humour. He classified people into four types (i.e., sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic and choleric), each characterised by specific behavioural features.
2. Charak Samhita- Tridosha and tribunals: Charak Samhita, a famous treatise on Ayurveda, classifies people into the categories of vata, pitta and Kapha based on three humoral elements called tridosha. Each refers to a type of temperament called Prakriti (basic nature) of a person. Apart from this, there is also a typology of personality based on the tribunals, i.e. sattva, rajas, and tamas. Sattva guna includes attributes like cleanliness, truthfulness, dutifulness, detachment, discipline, etc.
3. Sheldon: Sheldon proposed the Endomorphic, Mesomorphic, and Ectomorphic typology. The endomorphs are fat, soft and round. By temperament, they are relaxed and friendly. The mesomorphs have strong musculature, and are rectangular with a muscular body build. They are energetic and courageous. The ectomorphs are thin, long and fragile in body build. They are brainy, artistic and introverted.
4. Jung: Jung has proposed another important typology by grouping people into introverts and extroverts. This is widely recognised. According to this typology, introverts prefer to be alone, avoid others, withdraw themselves in the face of emotional conflicts, and are shy. On the other hand, extroverts are friendly, outgoing, drawn to occupations that allow dealing directly with people, and react to stress by trying to lose themselves among people and social activity.