The physiological basis of temperament is the type of higher nervous activity (I.P. Pavlov). The type of higher nervous activity is a peculiar combination of the basic properties of nervous processes: their strength, balance and mobility.

The power of nervous processes– an indicator of the performance and endurance of nerve cells in relation to strong and prolonged stimuli.

Equilibrium– the ratio of excitation and inhibition processes. The nervous system is balanced if the excitation process is equal in strength to the inhibition process; and unbalanced if one process is stronger than the other.

Mobility– the rate of change of excitation and inhibition processes.

I.P. Pavlov identified four types of higher nervous activity, which are characterized by a certain combination of properties of nervous processes: 1) strong, balanced, agile; 2) strong, unbalanced; 3) strong, balanced, inert; 4)weak. These types of higher nervous activity underlie the four types of temperament - sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic and melancholic. The psychological characteristics of temperament as a whole are not associated with any one property nervous system, and with their combination, i.e. type of nervous system.

In the psychological characteristics of temperament, the following properties are distinguished: 1) sensitivity– increased response to emotional stimuli; sensitive people are highly sensitive, they experience sensations when the stimulus is insignificant; 2) reactivity determined by the strength of the emotional response; reactive person - impressionable, emotionally reacting to external and internal influences; 3) activity manifests itself in the energy with which a person influences the world (persistence in overcoming obstacles, perseverance, focused attention); 4) ratio of reactivity and activity indicates how much a person’s behavior and activity depend on random circumstances (mood, emotional reactions) and how much they depend on the goals and objectives set for themselves; 5) reaction rate characterizes the speed of mental processes (cognitive, emotional, volitional), speech, motor reactions; 6) plastic characterized by ease and flexibility of human adaptation to changing environmental conditions; rigidity– inertia, stereotypical behavior, inability to quickly adapt to changes; 7) extroversion expressed in a person’s appeal mainly in external world images, thoughts, feelings; introversion– in inner world; The characteristics of people’s reactions and activities, their communication (contact or isolation) depend on this predominant orientation. All these properties in complex interaction are manifested in each type of temperament.

Let's look at the characteristics of the four types of temperament.

Sanguine(from Latin sanguis - blood) - a type of temperament characterized by high activity, efficiency, speed and vivacity of movements, rich facial expressions, and a fast pace of speech. A person with this type is sociable and strives for a change of impressions. He easily and quickly experiences his failures; he has strong, balanced and mobile nervous processes.

Phlegmatic person– a type of temperament determined by a low level of mental activity, slowness, inexpressive facial expressions, stability of interests and aspirations. A person with this type has difficulty switching from one type of activity to another and has difficulty adapting to a new environment.

Choleric- a type of temperament that manifests itself in high level mental activity, energy of action, sharpness, swiftness of movements, their fast pace, impetuosity; in a sharp change in mood, imbalance, exhaustion. A person with this type is quick-tempered and impatient.

Melancholic(from the gr. melas - black + chole - bile) - a type of temperament characterized by a low level of mental activity, slowness of movements, restraint of motor skills and speech, and rapid fatigue. A person with this type is characterized by high emotional sensitivity, depth and stability of emotions; negative emotions predominate in him; he is often vulnerable, withdrawn, and alienated.

The type of temperament generally depends on heredity. Certain properties of temperament can vary within certain limits depending on living conditions and upbringing. Changes can occur under the influence of past illnesses, deep experiences, and operating conditions.

The basic properties of a particular temperament appear in a person gradually, with age. This process is called temperament maturation.

Temperament, being individual personality traits, has a significant impact on the formation of a person’s character and behavior. Temperament is the dynamic side of character, its physiological basis.

8.3. Properties of temperament as a regulator of activity style.

Although temperament in a pronounced form is quite rare, nevertheless, it is useful for a manager to take into account the peculiarities of the temperaments of his subordinates. Temperament is a way of implementing an activity, not the content of behavior.

By criterion mobility-inertia There are differences in the nature of the work: inert people perform monotonous, monotonous work more successfully, the process of preparing for the start of work, “getting involved” in it is important for them, they are reluctant to be interrupted, their orientation-cognitive activity is more developed. People with a mobile type of nervous activity require varied work that allows them to switch from one activity to another; they quickly get involved in work and can easily interrupt it.

By criterion strength-weakness significant differences were also found.

The strong type is characterized by low susceptibility to fatigue, the ability to work in a group, and gradual involvement in work; corrections and additions are made as work progresses, and they can remember many tasks at the same time. In situations of tension, there is an expansion in the scope of mental actions, which can be quite effective.

The weak type is characterized by a greater susceptibility to fatigue, a need for silence, they work better alone, plan work, corrections and additions are made at the verification stage, new work is started after the previous one is completed. In situations nervous tension the total duration of activity may increase, the volume of mental activity decreases slightly.

Proper organization of work, taking into account the characteristics of temperament, will help make it more effective.

Chapter 9. CHARACTER.

Character concept

Personal character and relationships

Character concept

Character- This a holistic formation of a personality that determines the characteristics of a person’s activity and behavior and is characterized by a stable attitude towards various aspects of activity.

Character is always an individually unique combination of traits that form an integral unity. Each character is unique. Character traits- these are the essential properties of a person that determine her line of behavior in a certain situation (for example, masculinity or cowardice when faced with danger, etc.). Character is manifested not in random, but in constant, stable for this person forms of behavior in certain situations. A person’s character is determined by his attitude to reality: to society, work, other people, himself. These relationships can determine, for example, character traits such as hard work, kindness, modesty, etc. Character is formed during life. Character traits are not innate. The system of those relationships that determine character is created by society.

The manifestation and formation of character is influenced by a number of natural features human organization. Thus, character is related to temperament. The properties of the nervous system, as the natural basis of temperament, can promote or hinder the formation of certain character traits (for example, under unfavorable conditions, a melancholic person is more likely to become a coward than a sanguine person; under favorable conditions, courage is more likely to be found in a sanguine person than in a melancholic person). Temperament influences the form of manifestation of character, “colors” its features (for example, perseverance in a choleric person is expressed in vigorous activity, in a phlegmatic person - in calm efficiency). Character, in turn, can influence the manifestation of typological characteristics of the nervous system, “masking” the characteristics of temperament (for example, initiative, independence can mask the rigidity of a phlegmatic person).

In the structure of character, there are two main groups of traits.

A group of traits in which the orientation of the personality is expressed, i.e. the system of her relations to reality combines character traits that express the following relations: a) relations to the team, individuals (collectivism, selfishness, kindness, sociability, secrecy, etc.); b) attitude to work (hard work, conscientiousness, negligence, accuracy, etc.); attitude towards oneself (modesty, self-esteem, pride, ambition, etc.).

Strong-willed traits character expresses attitudes towards obstacles (dedication, independence, determination, perseverance, courage, etc.). Strong-willed traits are the “backbone of character”; depending on their development, character is classified as strong or weak. Volitional traits become valuable in a person only under the condition of a morally educated will aimed at achieving socially useful goals.

In addition to those mentioned, character traits related to the characteristics of the cognitive and emotional sphere of a person are distinguished. TO cognitive traits include mindset (analyticity, flexibility, criticality, etc.). TO emotional traits include passion, sentimentality, as well as traits based on moral feelings (patriotism, humanity).

Character Formation occurs in vigorous activity. It involves the formation and transformation of certain ways of human behavior into stable, permanent habits (habits). Habits are formed by repeating the same actions over and over again. One of the most important conditions The formation of character traits, therefore, is repeated and persistent exercise in appropriate actions and deeds. Habits become the basis of character traits only with the appropriate conscious attitude of the individual. The most favorable period for the formation of many character traits is early childhood. Character formation is impossible without self-education. A favorable period for self-education is adolescence, in which self-awareness is formed, the choice of profession, friends, etc. is made.

Thus, it can be said that character traits reflect how a person acts, and personality traits reflect what he acts for.

Character, like temperament, depends on the physiological characteristics of a person, and, above all, on the type of nervous system. The properties of temperament leave their mark on the formation of character, determining the dynamic features of its occurrence, i.e. temperament represents the dynamic side of character. Features of temperament can counteract or promote the development of certain characterological traits.

Character- lifetime acquisition of personality, it accumulates a person’s habits and is largely the result of self-education. Temperament does not unilaterally and definitively determine the path of development of specific character traits; temperament itself, within certain limits, is transformed under the influence of character properties. The development of character and temperament in this sense are interdependent processes. In character, a personality is revealed from the side of its content, in temperament - from the side of dynamic manifestations.

“One swirl signifies poverty; two vortex curls - wealth; three curls, four curls - open a pawnshop; five curls - become a commission agent; six curls - thief; seven - misfortune; eight - eat straw; nine curls and one loop - you don’t have to work, you’ll have enough food until you die.”

Chinese folk saying

Each person is characterized by individual psychological characteristics. This concept includes the peculiar properties of a person’s mental activity, which are expressed in temperament, character, motivational needs and abilities. Knowledge about this allows us to identify many important personality traits, select a unique style of learning and development, which will significantly expand the range of possibilities for choosing a type of activity, and will contribute to the fullest realization of a person as an individual. IN modern age information, a person must be able to quickly predict, adjust and control his actions and actions, that is, constantly change and adapt to the new wave of life.

All information about our character, abilities, illnesses is literally drawn on our fingertips. Finger patterns are formed in the womb of the mother in the 3rd to 5th month of pregnancy along with the tissues of the nervous system. Therefore, finger patterns and the type of human nervous system are interrelated. The dermatoglyphics method allows you to decipher a psychological portrait.

There is an amazing and not yet fully understood commonality of the origin of the human skin and brain from the same embryonic layer - the ectoderm. Therefore, by looking at the drawing of a newly born person, you can already tell whether he will be a leader, how coordinated he will be, what qualities need to be developed in him from childhood, in which area his personality will be most fully revealed. How many mistakes could parents have avoided if they had known in advance about some of the peculiarities of their child’s mental makeup?

This problem is relevant because many people begin to feel the fullness of life, strive to be fully realized in it, to master the necessary information, because they choose the law of their life: “He who does not sail anywhere, for him there is no tailwind” (M. Montaigne) .

The word "dermatoglyphics" is formed from two words derma (skin) and glyphe (to engrave). Dermatoglyphics studies the lines and folds on the entire surface of the skin of the human body, but usually the hands are examined, and less often the feet.

The formation of dermatoglyphic patterns on the palms and fingers occurs between the 6th and 19th weeks of intrauterine development, and their formation ends by the 5th-6th month. At the same time, on the pads of the fingers, palms and soles, the formation of patterns does not occur simultaneously: on the soles it begins 2-3 weeks later. From the moment of formation and formation, the skin pattern has an individual and unique character, which remains throughout a person’s life.

The stability of the leather pattern has been tested many times. After thermal and chemical burns, the same pattern invariably appears on young skin. This feature was noted by the ancients. In Ancient China, Japan, Korea, India, a finger smeared with paint was applied to important documents– his fingerprint replaced signatures.

Dermatoglyphics is a fairly young science: its origin dates back to 1892, when one of the most original biologists of his time, Charles Darwin's cousin Sir Francis Galton, published his now classic work on fingerprints.

This date, however, is quite arbitrary. Since the beginning of the 17th century. In the works of very authoritative anatomists there are descriptions of dermatological patterns, and at the beginning of the 19th century. The famous Czech researcher Jan Purkinje created a fundamental classification of finger patterns. Later, it was largely used by Galton, and then by the authors of the most widespread classification today - the Americans H. Cummis and C. Meadlo.

As an independent science, dermatoglyphics took shape towards the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century. The term “dermatoglyphics” itself was adopted in 1926 at the 42nd Congress of the American Association of Anatomists at the suggestion of H. Cummins and C. Midlo.

And in 1880 two authors - G. Foulds and W. Herschel - published reports on the possibilities of personal identification using fingerprints in the authoritative English scientific journal Nature. One of the authors even suggested that Scotland Yard use this discovery, but this proposal was initially rejected. As a method of personality registration (creating a bank of dermatoglyphic data of people), dermatoglyphics was introduced in England in 1894. In Russia, dermatoglyphic data began to be used in 1907.

The largest contribution to the development of dermatoglyphics was made by our compatriots M. I. Vilyamovskaya, I. I. Kanaev, M. V. Volotskaya (works of the 1930s) and T. D. Gladkova (1960s)

In addition to criminology and forensic medicine, dermatoglyphics is also used in anthropology. IN last years Geneticists and doctors became interested in dermatoglyphics, because it was found that in a number of hereditary diseases and disorders of the human karyotype, changes in the structure of the skin pattern are observed. This method was first used in genetics in 1939, when H. Cummins described characteristics dermatoglyphs in Down syndrome. The dermatolyphic method is also used in racial anthropology, since it has been established that there are racial differences in skin patterns.

Actually dermatoglyphic signs

Actually, dermatoglyphic features, or true patterns, are represented by three types of patterns (arches, loops, curls).

Finger Pattern Type Features

Arc (arch) - Arch The simplest drawing. Does not have triradii (triradius, or delta place or point on the palmar pattern where three differently directed papillary lines converge, they form a pattern reminiscent of the Greek letter "delta")

Loop – Loops A pattern that has only one delta. A semi-closed pattern in which the skin ridges, starting from one edge, go to the other, but, before reaching it, return back, forming a loop.

*Radial loops (R) are relatively uncommon. They have a clear tendency to localize on the index finger for all populations and a rare frequency of occurrence on the 3rd and 4th fingers, and are extremely rare on the little fingers. This loop opens towards the radial side of the palm, towards the thumb.

*Ulnar loops (U) - a common pattern, rarely diagnostic.

This loop opens towards the ulnar side of the palm, towards the little finger.

Curl -Whorls (W) Most complex drawing, having two deltas. A closed pattern in which the papillary lines are arranged concentrically around the middle of the pattern.

A relatively common pattern, most often localized on the 1st and 4th fingers.

Temperament

The concept of temperament

The word temperament comes from the Latin “temperamentum” - ratio, proportion.

Temperament is the result of the integration of various biological components that are involved in the functioning of the behavioral system. This is a generalized, qualitatively different system of various psychobiological properties of individual behavior, therefore temperament manifests itself in mental orientation, programming, regulation, and assessment of human life in the form of dynamic processes and states. The latter also include: intensity, speed, tempo, rhythm, as well as emotional sensitivity and plasticity.

Temperament belongs to the primary forms of higher mental synthesis. Its physiological basis is the type of higher nervous activity, determined by the ratio of strength, balance, mobility of excitatory and inhibitory processes. However, the relationship between the types of higher nervous activity and the traditionally identified types of temperament (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic) is far from ambiguous.

Temperament, as a psychobiological property of a person, manifests itself in the peculiarities of mastering the objective world in the desire for mental and physical labor, social contacts, in the speed of transition from one type of activity to another or from one way of thinking to another, in the speed of monotonous motor acts, in the speed of speech, in emotional sensitivity to discrepancies between what was planned and the results of communication and activity, and in sensitivity to failures and evaluation of people .

Temperament characterizes the mobility of a person, but not his beliefs, views, interests. It is not an indicator of the greater or lesser social value of an individual, nor does it determine its ultimate capabilities. The properties of temperament should not be confused with properties of character or with personality abilities. People of very different temperaments can achieve very high achievements in the same type of activity. If we take the largest writers, then A. I. Herzen was a typical sanguine person, I. A. Krylov was a phlegmatic person, A. S. Pushkin was a choleric person, and N. V. Gogol was a melancholic person.

Thus, temperament is the individual characteristics of a person that determine the dynamics of his mental activity and behavior.

Physiological basis of temperament

The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates (V – IV centuries BC) believed that temperaments are explained by different ratios of the main types of fluid in the body and which of them predominates: blood (in Latin “sanguis”), mucus (in Greek "phlegm"), red-yellow bile (in Greek "chole") or black bile (in Greek "meline chole").

A truly scientific explanation of temperament is given by I. P. Pavlov’s teaching on the types of higher nervous activity. He believed that individual behavioral characteristics and the dynamics of mental activity depend on individual differences in the functioning of the nervous system. The basis of these differences, in his opinion, is the connection and relationship of nervous processes - excitation and inhibition.

I. P. Pavlov discovered three properties of the processes of excitation and inhibition:

1) the strength of the processes of excitation and inhibition;

2) balance of excitation and inhibition processes;

3) mobility of excitation and inhibition processes.

The strength of nervous processes characterizes the performance and endurance of the nervous system and means its ability to withstand either long-term or short-term, but very strong excitation and inhibition. The opposite property - weakness of nervous processes - is characterized by the inability of nerve cells to withstand prolonged and concentrated excitation and inhibition. Cells have reduced performance, their energy is quickly depleted. But a weak nervous system has increased sensitivity; it reacts to any, even the smallest stimuli.

The balance of nervous processes is the ratio of excitation and inhibition. For some people, these two processes are balanced, while for others there is no balance: the process of excitation or inhibition predominates.

The mobility of nervous processes is the ability to quickly replace each other, the speed of movement of nervous processes, the speed of emergence of a nervous process in response to irritation, the speed of formation of new conditioned connections.

Combinations of these properties of nervous processes were used as the basis for determining the type of higher nervous activity. Depending on the combination of strength, balance and mobility of the nervous processes of excitation and inhibition, four main types of higher nervous activity are distinguished.

I. P. Pavlov correlated the types of nervous activity he identified with the psychological types of temperaments and found complete agreement. Thus, temperament is a manifestation of the type of nervous system in human activity and behavior.

As a result, the relationship between the types of the nervous system and temperaments according to I. P. Pavlov is as follows:

1. strong, balanced, active type (“lively”) – sanguine temperament;

2. strong, balanced, inert type (“calm”) – phlegmatic temperament;

3. strong, unbalanced, with a predominance of excitement (“uncontrollable”) – choleric temperament;

4. weak type (“weak”) – melancholic temperament.

The type of nervous system is a natural, innate personality trait that is practically impossible to adjust under the influence of living conditions and activities. The type of nervous system gives uniqueness to a person’s behavior, but does not determine either a person’s actions, his beliefs, or the moral principles that are formed in the process of upbringing by society. Temperament can be passed on from generation to generation.

Characteristics of temperament

As mentioned above, there are four types of temperament.

Representatives of the choleric temperament are impetuous and easily excitable. Mental processes in this type proceed quickly and intensely. People with this temperament are energetic, efficient, constantly looking for new interests, routine work tires them. The instability of mental processes often leads to nervous breakdowns, which are manifested by excessive irritability, hot temper, and egocentrism. Very prone to neurotic disorders. The positive aspects of the choleric temperament are energy, activity, passion, initiative. And the negative aspects are general lack of restraint, rudeness and harshness, short temper, and the ability to be emotional.

A representative of the sanguine temperament is a lively, inquisitive, active (but without sudden, impetuous movements) person. As a rule, people with this temperament are cheerful and cheerful. Emotionally unstable, he easily gives in to feelings, but they are usually not deep. They have a highly balanced type of nervous activity. Nervous processes are excited and develop quickly enough, increase to a certain limit and fade away in a timely manner as soon as the problem becomes irrelevant. People in whom this temperament predominates are energetic, sociable, friendly, responsive, flexible in decision-making, and easily win the point of view of others if it corresponds to their principles and does not contradict morality. They are very hardy, and under severe and prolonged stress they rarely develop neurotic conditions. Negative traits of this type: frivolity, scatteredness, inability and unwillingness to complete the work started, overestimation of oneself and one’s capabilities.

A representative of the phlegmatic temperament is slow, calm, unhurried. A psychologically strong enough inert type, it takes a lot of effort to unbalance him. They have a low threshold of excitability. They are balanced, not prone to aggression, nor to the formation of neurotic disorders. They slowly reproduce and assimilate information, but quite pedantically, getting to the bottom of every essence. They have difficulty accepting someone else’s point of view, but if they accepted it, then it becomes their own. People in whom this temperament predominates do not like changes in life and are prone to order. His main positive traits: perseverance, efficiency, perseverance. Negative traits of this type: lethargy, inertia, passivity, laziness, sometimes indifference and an indifferent attitude towards work can appear.

Representatives of a melancholic temperament are prone to isolation, avoid communicating with unfamiliar, new people, are often embarrassed, and show awkwardness in a new environment. Psychologically, the nervous system is highly mobile, but by type it is very weak. Excitation processes are very quickly replaced by inhibition processes, which leads to general weakness and exhaustion. They are pessimistic and experience everything that happens very painfully. More often than not, they do not undertake difficult tasks, worrying about impending failure, but if they have a strong will, they will complete the work they have started, torturing themselves mentally. Most of the types are prone to forming mental disorders and being stressed and depressed. It is alarming that stress can cause various physical illnesses. But impressionability, subtle sensitivity and acute sensitivity of the surrounding world allow him to achieve great success in art - music, drawing, poetry. People in whom this temperament predominates are distinguished by softness, tact, delicacy, sensitivity and responsiveness.

Character

Concept of character

Character is a stable combination of a person’s mental properties, which expresses his attitude to the world around him, ways of behavior and reaction. Character is individual and typical, because the symptom complex of character properties has special substructures with their unique relationships. Probably, the main ones in the symptom complex of character are volitional traits, which, when integrated into personality traits, determine weakness or strength of character. It is important to note that all character traits are interconnected and interdependent. As a result of the natural relationships between character traits, there are leading (defining, basic) traits, as well as subordinate ones. Each of the structural units of character is formed during life in ontogenesis as a way of realizing relationships in activity and communication.

The structure of character may be dominated by intellectual, emotional or volitional components.

The physiological basis of character is a dynamic stereotype. Its characteristics, as well as upbringing and the difficulties of relationships with people, can give rise to accentuations of character, that is, excessive enhancement of individual traits that lead to a person’s disharmonious treatment of other people, inadequate attitude towards oneself, activities, and so on. Thus, the physiological basis of character is a fusion of traits such as the nervous system and complex stable systems of temporary connections.

Character traits

Character traits are understood as individual habitual forms of human behavior in which his attitude to reality is realized.

Character traits must be considered and assessed in relation to each other. Each character trait acquires its own meaning, often different, depending on its relationship with other traits. For example, perseverance has a positive meaning only in combination with high ideology and criticality; without them, it can degenerate into stubbornness.

Character traits are usually divided into two groups:

Character traits that express the orientation of the individual (i.e., the system of relationships to reality: to society, to work, to people, to oneself, etc.).

The orientation of a person determines the goals and aspirations of a person; it is also important whether these goals and aspirations of a person are realized in life, whether a person knows how to overcome obstacles on the way to his goal.

These character traits include: collectivism, selfishness, sensitivity, rudeness, honesty, sociability, isolation, secrecy, hard work, negligence, laziness, initiative, conservatism, thrift, self-criticism, self-esteem, self-respect.

Strong-willed character traits.

Depending on the development of a person’s strong-willed character traits, they speak of a strong or weak character. Weakness gives a negative assessment of the character as a whole, even in the presence of a positive personality orientation. There is no value in setting high, noble goals if they are not realized in life. At that time and a strong character if it is in the wrong direction, it will not be a valuable personality trait.

Strong-willed character traits include purposefulness, independence, determination, perseverance, endurance, courage and courage, and discipline.

Character formation.

Character is formed, develops and changes in practical activities person, reflects the conditions and lifestyle. Thus, character is a less stable state than temperament. In its formation play a more important role social factors, not biological.

Character formation begins in early childhood. Already in preschool age, the first contours of character are outlined, a habitual pattern of behavior begins to take shape, certain relationships to reality. The traits of collectivism, perseverance, endurance, and courage are formed primarily in play, especially in collective games with rules. The surrounding society, as well as various types of work activities, have a great influence. Character traits develop especially intensively in adolescents.

It should be noted that despotic upbringing causes stress in the child, and therefore the development of such qualities as obedience, lack of independence, self-doubt, lack of enterprise, dependence, sacrifice and others. But you shouldn’t allow everything, be at the mercy of children’s whims, because this contributes to the development of self-confidence, increased demands on oneself, selfishness, callousness, and so on.

Also, one of the ways to develop character is self-education. It is most often used by adults. Developing character means being able to take responsibility for your actions and control your actions.

An individual approach is especially important in character education. Individual approach requires choice and implementation educational activities, which would correspond to the characteristics of the individual and his state of mind in this moment. And irritability, impatience, rudeness, passivity, excessive immodesty of the teacher (parent) will have an impact bad influence on the child's character.

The connection between individual psychological characteristics of a person and dermatoglyphic patterns on the fingers

The skin patterns on the fingertips, formed during human prenatal development, remain unchanged throughout life. In embryonic development, the skin is closely related to the nervous system. And the pattern on the fingertips is determined by the structure of the nerve endings in them. Therefore, skin patterns can be used to study the characteristics of the human nervous system. From here it’s just one step to his behavior and character.

The patterns on our fingertips come in three types. “Loops” are more common than others.

If your child has a large number of loops on his fingers, do not be upset that this pattern is, so to speak, banal. But the character of such children is “golden”. They are calm, friendly, flexible, responsive, and are the first to help. At school, they may not “grab stars from the sky,” but they do their homework diligently. They are very responsible, but will not show much initiative. As a rule, such guys make friends easily.

By temperament, owners of loops are choleric or approaching them. Holders of ten loops are very energetic during normal work, but in extreme situations“extinguish” because they have limited physical potential. Most of all, they are exhausted by boring, monotonous work that is of no interest to them.

But those with a large number of curls give the impression of being “out of their minds.”

In friendship they are very picky. They often don’t finish the job they start, although if they manage to get them interested in something, they can produce some kind of masterpiece. Sometimes teachers and parents are surprised by an unexpected successful initiative. For this we have to forgive them a lot. True, such people are rare. Much more often, a person has only one or two curl patterns on his hands, and he is closer to the owners of loop patterns with all their advantages and disadvantages. It also happens that all the curls are located only on the fingers of one hand. In this case, the child often behaves, to put it mildly, unbalanced. If the curls are located on the fingers of the right hand, then although he is quick-tempered, he is easy-going. If it’s the other way around, he will remain silent, harboring a grudge for a long time. For those who prefer to write and eat left hand, the curl is most often located on the index finger of the left hand, while on the right hand there is a loop. If the curl is on the ring finger of the left hand, then this is an indication of musical ability. It is extremely rare for people to have such a pattern only on thumb left hand, and on the right - a loop. They are very vulnerable and vindictive. It’s better not to put pressure on such a child, and you need to be careful about quarreling with him. The third type of pattern - arcs - is also rare. If they are on index fingers, that’s nothing, but if it’s on others, then such people are very peculiar.

They are very creatively gifted, they grasp everything on the fly, they learn very quickly, they take on many things at once, but often do not finish them and lose interest. A large number of curls indicates a subtle, excitable psyche. On the one hand, there is a very high nervous system, on the other, mental instability and a tendency to depression.

The owner of a large number of arcs always and everywhere considers himself a “bearer of truth.”

This is not always pleasant for others. It will not be possible to convince such a child and force him to admit his mistake. And it's not necessary. These guys don't learn from mistakes. However, this is redeemed by the fact that they are unforgiving and frank. And if they smile, they are really happy. They do well in school and business; they are distinguished by speed and specificity. All excess is cut off.

For people with arches, physical potential is not the main thing; their psychological potential predominates. personal qualities. They are, as a rule, ambitious, ambitious, responsible and authoritarian, and take responsibility for the entire group. Most often, this is the type of leader who is very persistent and purposeful. One can say about them: “they rush like a tank,” and in the life of “arc players” the moment of overcoming is very important.

But these are only the most general principles. A person’s character depends not only on the predominant type of patterns, but also on their location in relation to each other.

Chapter II. Material and research methods

To identify the relationship between individual psychological characteristics and dermatoglyphic patterns on the fingers, the following methods were used:

1. Testing to find out temperament, the level of extraversion and emotional stability, to establish the prevailing characterological tendencies of the individual.

1) Adolescent test - a questionnaire for studying G. Eysenck’s temperament in order to diagnose the degree of expression of properties put forward as essential components of personality: neuroticism, extra-, introversion and psychoticism.

2) Test “Formula of Temperament”.

3) Test – DME questionnaire, compiled by American psychologist T. Leary.

Using fingerprinting and a magnifying glass, dermatoglyphic patterns on the fingers were examined and determined.

The studies were conducted from May 2008 to January 2009.

30 students in grades 8 and 9 took part in the study, of which 8 were boys and 22 were girls.

Tables and diagrams were constructed based on the results of the study.

Having carried out the initial processing of answer forms using Eysenck’s method, it is possible to determine the type of temperament of the subjects. The results were analyzed, the data obtained were summarized in tables 1-4.

Table 3

Summary table of the results of the test-questionnaire for studying temperament (Eysenck) in grades 8-9.

signs Col. boy Col. dev. Total %

(8 people) (22 people) (30 people)

Extraversion Significant extrovert - 4 4 13.3

Moderate extrovert 5 11 16 53.3

Introversion Significant introvert - 1 1 3.3

Moderate introvert 3 6 9 30.0

Neuroticism Signs of looseness 2 1 3 10.0

nervous system

Emotional stability 2 8 10 33.3

Emotional 4 13 17 56.7

instability

True-false You can trust 5 14 19 63.3

Doubtful 2 4 6 20.0

Unreliable 1 4 5 16.7

Diagram 1. Extraversion-introversion among students in grades 8-9 (%).

Diagram 2. Extraversion-introversion among boys and girls in grades 8-9.

Data entered in pivot table 3 according to the results of the test-questionnaire for the study of temperament (Eysenck) in grades 8-9 indicate that 53.3% of students in these classes are moderate extroverts, among them 16.6% of boys and 36.7% of girls.

Extroverts are characterized by the fact that they are sociable and outward-oriented, they have a wide circle of acquaintances, and the need for contacts. They act on the spur of the moment, are impulsive, quick-tempered, carefree, optimistic, good-natured, and cheerful. They prefer movement and action, and tend to be aggressive. Feelings and emotions are not strictly controlled and are prone to risky behavior. You can't always rely on them. In 13.3% of respondents these qualities are expressed to a strong degree.

30% of respondents are moderate introverts - they are calm, shy people prone to introspection. Reserved and distant from everyone except close friends. They plan and think about their actions in advance, do not trust sudden impulses, take decisions seriously, and like order in everything. They control their feelings and are not easily angered. They are pessimistic and highly value moral standards. In 3.3% (1 girl) these qualities are strongly expressed.

Table 3 contains data on the neuroticism of the schoolchildren surveyed. Neuroticism characterizes emotional stability or instability (emotional stability or instability). Neuroticism is associated with indicators of nervous system lability.

Among the respondents, 56.7% are characterized by signs of emotional instability, most of them are girls. Neuroticism is expressed in extreme nervousness, instability, poor adaptation, a tendency to quickly change moods (lability), feelings of guilt and anxiety, preoccupation, depressive reactions, absent-mindedness, instability in stressful situations. Neuroticism corresponds to emotionality and impulsiveness; unevenness in contacts with people, variability of interests, self-doubt, pronounced sensitivity, impressionability, tendency to irritability. A neurotic personality is characterized by inappropriately strong reactions in relation to the stimuli that cause them. Individuals with high scores on the neuroticism scale may develop neurosis in unfavorable stressful situations.

33.3% have emotional stability - this is a trait that expresses the preservation of organized behavior and situational focus in normal and stressful situations. Characterized by maturity, excellent adaptation, lack of great tension, anxiety, as well as a tendency to leadership and sociability.

10% of schoolchildren show signs of a weakened nervous system, psychoticism - indicating a tendency to antisocial behavior, pretentiousness, inappropriate emotional reactions, high conflict, lack of contact, self-centeredness, selfishness, indifference.

According to Eysenck, high scores on extraversion and neuroticism correspond to a psychiatric diagnosis of hysteria, and high scores on introversion and neuroticism correspond to a state of anxiety or reactive depression. Neuroticism and psychoticism, in the case of the severity of these indicators, are understood as a “predisposition” to the corresponding types of pathology.

The majority of respondents answered the questions sincerely - 63.3%, and only 16.7% of schoolchildren gave unreliable answers.

Drawing on data from the physiology of higher nervous activity, Eysenck hypothesizes that strong and weak types, according to Pavlov, are very close to extroverted and introverted personality types. The nature of intro- and extraversion is seen in the innate properties of the central nervous system, which ensure the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition.

Thus, using survey data on the scales of extra-, introversion and neuroticism, it is possible to derive indicators of personality temperament according to the classification of Pavlov, who described four classical types: sanguine (according to the basic properties of the central nervous system is characterized as strong, balanced, mobile), choleric (strong , unbalanced, mobile), phlegmatic (strong, balanced, inert), melancholic (weak, unbalanced, inert). On the graph you can see how the types of temperament correlate with the scales of the questionnaire.

Table 4

Types of temperament among students in grades 8-9 according to Eysenck.

Col. boy Col. dev. Total %

Temperament according to Eysenck (8 people) (22 people) (30 people)

Melancholic 1 6 7 23.3

Choleric 3 11 14 46.7

Sanguine 2 3 5 16.7

Phlegmatic 2 1 3 10.0

Choleric-sanguine - 1 1 3.3

Diagram 6. Types of temperament among students in grades 8-9 according to Eysenck (%).

Diagram 7. Types of temperament among students in grades 8-9 according to Eysenck among boys and girls.

The results of the study showed that the majority of respondents (46.7%) have a choleric type of temperament, the majority are girls (11 people). 23.3% of schoolchildren are melancholic, 10% phlegmatic, 16.7% sanguine. 1 girl is choleric-sanguine.

As a rule, we should talk about the predominance of certain temperamental traits, since in life they are rarely found in their pure form.

Temperament is one of the most significant personality traits. It determines the presence of many mental differences between people, including the intensity and stability of emotions, emotional sensitivity, pace and energy of actions, as well as a number of other dynamic characteristics. In order to find out which type of temperament dominates over the others, the “Formula of Temperament” test according to A. Belov was conducted. Summary data on the results of the “Formula of Temperament” test in grades 8-9 are listed in Table 6.

Table 6

Summary data on the results of the “Formula of Temperament” test in grades 8-9.

Temperament according to Belov Col. boy Col. dev. Total %

(8 people) (22 people) (30 people)

Melancholic 1 1 2 6.7

Choleric 1 5 6 20

Sanguine 2 5 7 23.3

Phlegmatic 2 6 8 26.7

Sanguine-phlegmatic 1 3 4 13.3

Choleric-sanguine 1 2 3 10.0

Comparing the data obtained using the Eysenck and Belov methods, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. According to Eysenck’s method, 46.7% of the subjects have a choleric temperament, 16.7% have a sanguine temperament, 23.3% have a melancholic temperament and 10% have a phlegmatic one.

2. In a study using Belov’s method, 20% of the subjects showed choleric temperament, 23.3% sanguine temperament, 6.7% melancholic, 26.7% phlegmatic temperament.

3. The discrepancy in the percentage of choleric and sanguistic temperaments can be explained as follows: in a study using Eysenck’s method on the introversion-extroversion scale, 43.3% of the subjects showed borderline values from 11 to 14 points (i.e. they can be defined as ambiverts), but if we consider the total percentage of choleric and sanguine people using both methods, then the difference reaches 16.6%. Only 5 people have inaccurate information. Maybe they were responding against their own ideas about themselves, such as how they want to be rather than how they are. Consequently, the data obtained using the Eysenck and Belov methods have similar values, and accordingly we can talk about the reliability of the data obtained.

When talking about temperament, we usually mean the dynamic side of personality, expressed in impulsiveness and the pace of mental activity. It is in this sense that we usually say that a person has a large or small temperament, taking into account his impulsiveness, the swiftness with which his desires arise, etc. Temperament (lat. tempegamentum - proper ratio of parts) is a dynamic characteristic of an individual’s mental activity.

Temperament is indicative of the strength of mental processes. In this case, not only the absolute force at one moment or another is significant, but also how constant it remains, i.e. the degree dynamic stability. With significant stability, the strength of reactions in each special case depends on the changing conditions in which a person finds himself and is adequate to them: stronger external irritation causes a stronger reaction, weaker irritation causes a weaker reaction. For individuals with greater instability, the opposite is true.

Mental activity of the same force may differ varying degrees tension, depending on the relationship between the strength of a given process and the dynamic capabilities of a given individual. Mental processes of a certain intensity can be carried out easily, without any tension in one person at one moment and with great tension in another person or in the same person at a given moment. These differences in tension will affect the nature of either smooth and smooth or jerky flow of activity.

An essential expression of temperament is the speed of mental processes. The pace of mental processes (the number of acts in a certain period of time, depending not only on the speed, but also on the size of the intervals between acts) must also be distinguished from the speed or speed of occurrence. For temperament, the amplitude of fluctuations characteristic of a given individual from the slowest to the most accelerated rates is also indicative. These features of temperament affect all the activities of the individual, in the course of all mental processes.

A person’s temperament is manifested primarily in his impressionability, characterized by the strength and stability of the impact that impressions have on a person. For some, the influence - strong or weak - that makes an impression on them spreads with great speed, for others with very low speed, into the deeper layers of the psyche. Finally, at different people Depending on the characteristics of their temperament, the stability of the impression also varies: for some, the impression - even a strong one - turns out to be very unstable, while others cannot get rid of it for a long time. Impressiveness is always an individually different affective sensitivity in people of different types. It is significantly connected with the emotional sphere and is expressed in the strength, speed and stability of the emotional reaction to impressions. Since ancient times, it has been customary to distinguish 4 types of temperament: choleric, sanguine, melancholic and phlegmatic.

A choleric person can be described as fast, impetuous, capable of devoting himself to a task with passion, but unbalanced, prone to violent emotional outbursts and sudden changes in mood. He is characterized by increased excitability, strong emotionality, sometimes irritability, and affectivity.

A phlegmatic person can be described as slow, imperturbable, with stable aspirations and a more or less constant mood, with weak external expression states of mind. It is characteristic that he develops new forms of behavior slowly, but persists for a long time, he rarely loses his temper, is not prone to emotions, he is characterized by evenness, calmness, self-control, sometimes lethargy, indifference to others, and laziness.

A melancholic person can be characterized as easily vulnerable, inclined to deeply experience even minor failures, but outwardly reacting sluggishly to his surroundings. He is inhibited, it is difficult for him to concentrate on one thing for a long time, strong influences lead to stupor, sometimes he is characterized by isolation, fearfulness, and anxiety.
A sanguine person can be described as lively, agile, quickly responding to surrounding events, and relatively easily experiencing failures and troubles. He quickly adapts to new conditions, quickly gets along with people, his feelings easily arise and are replaced by new ones, he is characterized by rich facial expressions, mobility, expressiveness, sometimes superficiality, and inconstancy.

The physiological basis of temperament is the neurodynamics of the brain, that is, the neurodynamic relationship of the cortex and subcortex. The neurodynamics of the brain is in internal interaction with the system of humoral and endocrine factors.

For temperament, the excitability of the subcortical centers, which are associated with the characteristics of motor skills, statics and autonomics, is essential. The tone of the subcortical centers also affects the tone of the cortex and its readiness for action. Due to the role they play in the neurodynamics of the brain, subcortical centers influence temperament. The subcortex and cortex are inextricably linked with each other. Therefore, one cannot be separated from the other. What is ultimately decisive is not the dynamics of the subcortex itself, but the dynamic relationship between the subcortex and the cortex, as Pavlov emphasizes in his doctrine of the types of the nervous system.

Pavlov based these types on 3 criteria: strength, balance and lability.
Based on these basic features, as a result of his research methods conditioned reflexes came to the definition of four main types of the nervous system.

Strong, balanced and agile - a lively type.
Strong, balanced and inert - a calm, slow type.
Strong, unbalanced with a predominance of excitation over inhibition - excitable, unrestrained type.
Weak type.

Pavlov's teaching about types of activity is essential for understanding the physiological basis of temperament. Its correct use involves taking into account the fact that the type of nervous system is strictly physiological concept, and temperament is a psychophysiological concept and it is expressed not only in motor skills, in the nature of reactions, their strength, speed, etc., but also in impressionability, emotional excitability, etc.

So, temperament is a dynamic characteristic of personality in all its effective manifestations and the sensory basis of character. Transforming in the process of character formation, the properties of temperament turn into character traits, the content of which is inextricably linked with the orientation of the individual.

The power of nervous processes– an indicator of the performance and endurance of nerve cells in relation to strong and prolonged stimuli.

Mobility– the rate of change of excitation and inhibition processes.

I.P. Pavlov identified four types of higher nervous activity, which are characterized by a certain combination of properties of nervous processes: 1) strong, balanced, agile; 2) strong, unbalanced; 3) strong, balanced, inert; 4)weak. These types of higher nervous activity underlie the four types of temperament - sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic and melancholic. The psychological characteristics of temperament as a whole are associated not with any one property of the nervous system, but with their combination, i.e. type of nervous system.

In the psychological characteristics of temperament, the following properties are distinguished: 1) sensitivity– increased response to emotional stimuli; sensitive people are highly sensitive, they experience sensations when the stimulus is insignificant; 2) reactivity determined by the strength of the emotional response; reactive person - impressionable, emotionally reacting to external and internal influences; 3) activity manifests itself in the energy with which a person influences the world (persistence in overcoming obstacles, perseverance, focused attention); 4) ratio of reactivity and activity indicates how much a person’s behavior and activity depend on random circumstances (mood, emotional reactions) and how much they depend on the goals and objectives set for themselves; 5) reaction rate characterizes the speed of mental processes (cognitive, emotional, volitional), speech, motor reactions; 6) plastic characterized by ease and flexibility of human adaptation to changing environmental conditions; rigidity– inertia, stereotypical behavior, inability to quickly adapt to changes; 7) extroversion is expressed in a person’s appeal primarily to the external world of images, thoughts, feelings; introversion- into the inner world; The characteristics of people’s reactions and activities, their communication (contact or isolation) depend on this predominant orientation. All these properties in complex interaction are manifested in each type of temperament.

Let's look at the characteristics of the four types of temperament.

Choleric– a type of temperament manifested in a high level of mental activity, energetic actions, sharpness, swiftness of movements, their fast pace, impetuosity; in a sharp change in mood, imbalance, exhaustion. A person with this type is quick-tempered and impatient.

The basic properties of a particular temperament appear in a person gradually, with age. This process is called temperament maturation.

8.3. Properties of temperament as a regulator of activity style.

By criterion strength-weakness significant differences were also found.

The weak type is characterized by a greater susceptibility to fatigue, a need for silence, they work better alone, plan work, corrections and additions are made at the verification stage, new work is started after the previous one is completed. In situations of nervous tension, the total duration of activity may increase, and the volume of mental activity decreases somewhat.

Proper organization of work, taking into account the characteristics of temperament, will help make it more effective.

Chapter 9. CHARACTER.

Physiological basis of temperament

People have long tried to find the organic basis of temperament. There are three main systems of explanation of its essence, where the first two are currently only of historical interest and are based on biological ideas about temperament. Let us first consider how ideas about the biological foundations of temperament have changed.

The idea and doctrine of temperament in its origins go back to the works of the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. He described the main types of temperaments, gave them characteristics, but connected temperament not with the properties of the nervous system, but with the ratio of various fluids in the body: blood, phlegm (from the Greek phlegma - mucus) and bile. It was believed that each liquid has a special property and a special purpose. The property of blood is warmth, and its purpose is to warm the body. The property of phlegm is cold and it serves to cool the body. The property of yellow bile is dryness. The purpose is to maintain dryness in the body, to “dry” it. Mine

The quality of black bile is dampness. It makes it possible to maintain dampness and moisture in the body. Based on this theory, the most famous physician of antiquity after Hippocrates, Claudius Galen, developed the first typology of temperaments, which he outlined in the famous treatise “De temperamentum” (from the Latin temperamentum - proportionality, the correct measure). This first classification of temperaments was called humoral.

Humoral the theory connected the state of the body with the ratio of various fluids in it, in connection with which four types of temperament were distinguished. It was believed that if blood predominates (Latin “sanguis”), then the temperament will be sanguinistic, if bile (“chole”) - choleric, if mucus (“phlegm”) - phlegmatic, and black bile (“melana chole”) determines melancholic temperament. Despite the fact that this terminology and description of various types of temperament arose in the 5th century. BC. (Galen, Hippocrates) they have survived to this day. Despite the naivety of the explanation of the phenomenon of temperament, such a feature was correctly noted as the combination in the human psyche of all types of temperament with the predominance of one of them.

The humoral (fluid) theory of temperament reflected some elements of true knowledge and became a kind of prototype, a model of modern, more developed ideas about the natural prerequisites for individual differences. The ancient Greeks did not and could not know all the wealth natural characteristics of a person: the structure of his brain, the properties of the nervous system, etc. However, based on ideas about the integrity and unity of the organism, they brilliantly foresaw a possible connection between the properties of the organism and the properties of the psyche.

Second - constitutional system, which arose in the twentieth century (E. Kretschmer, W. Sheldon). Its essence was to explain temperament on the basis of associating temperament with a person’s physique. The main idea of this theory: the structure of the body determines the temperament, which is its function.

E. Kretschmer identified four constitutional types: leptosomatic, athletic, picnic and dysplastic.

Leptosomatic characterized by a fragile physique, tall stature, and a flat chest. The shoulders are narrow, the legs are long and thin.

Athletic- a person with developed muscles, a strong physique, tall or average height, broad shoulders, narrow hips.

Picnic- a person with pronounced adipose tissue, excessively obese, characterized by small or medium height, a bloated body with a large belly and a round head on a short neck.

Dysplastics- people with a shapeless, irregular body structure. Individuals of this type are characterized by various physique deformations (for example, excessive height, disproportionate physique).

With the first three types of body structure, E. Kretschmer correlated the three types of temperament he identified, to which he gave the following names: schizothymic, ixothymic and cyclothymic.

Schizothymic, having a leptosomatic (asthenic) physique, is closed, prone to fluctuations in emotions, stubborn, difficult to change attitudes and views, and has difficulty adapting to a new environment.

Unlike him, ixothymic, Having an athletic build, he manifests himself as a calm, unimpressive person with restrained facial expressions and gestures, and low flexibility of thinking. It is often characterized by pettiness.

U cyclothymic who has a picnic physique, emotions fluctuate between joy and sadness, he easily connects with people and is realistic in his views.

American researcher W. Sheldon also proposed to deduce from body type certain type temperament. He assessed the physique based on the development of three main human tissues: ecto-, meso- and endomorphy. According to W. Sheldon, ectomorphs –. people who have a predominance of ectomorphic tissues (skin, hair, nervous system) are characterized by a cerebrotonic temperament, namely: a craving for aesthetic pleasures and coldness in communicating with people. Endomorphs – people with well-developed internal organs, they are distinguished by a lively, sociable temperament. Persons with well-developed bone and muscle tissue ( mesomorphs) is characterized by a craving for competition and aggressiveness.

As soon as they emerged, constitutional concepts became the object of acute scientific criticism. The main disadvantage of this approach is that it underestimates and sometimes simply ignores the role of the environment and social conditions in the formation of an individual’s mental properties.

The third approach to explaining the essence of temperament connects types of temperament with activity of the central nervous system.

A decisive shift in understanding the basis of temperament occurred in the early 30s. XX century, thanks to the works of I.P. Pavlov (I.P. Pavlov, 1951). He was the first to express the idea that temperament is based not on the properties of fluids or bodily tissues, but on the peculiarities of the functioning of the nervous system.

In the teachings of I.P. Pavlov on the influence of the central nervous system on the dynamic features of behavior, three main properties of the nervous system are distinguished - strength, balance, mobility excitatory and inhibitory processes. Excitation strength And braking force The scientist considered two independent properties of the nervous system. I.P. Pavlov clearly linked the properties of the nervous system - a combination of strength, balance and mobility - with one or another type of temperament.

Excitation strength reflects the performance of the nerve cell. It manifests itself in functional endurance, i.e. in the ability to withstand long-term or short-term, but strong excitation, without passing into the opposite state of inhibition. Braking force is understood as the functional performance of the nervous system during the implementation of inhibition and is manifested in the ability to form various inhibitory conditioned reactions.

Talking about balance of nervous processes, I.P. Pavlov meant the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition. The ratio of the strength of both processes determines whether a given individual is balanced or unbalanced, where the strength of one process exceeds the strength of the other.

Third property nervous system - the mobility of excitatory and inhibitory processes - manifests itself in the speed of transition of one process to another. The mobility of nervous processes is manifested in the ability to change behavior in accordance with changing living conditions. A measure of this property of the nervous system is the speed of transition from one action to another, from a passive state to an active one, and vice versa. The opposite of mobility is the inertia of nervous processes. The nervous system is more inert the more time or effort it takes to move from one process to another.

The properties of nervous processes identified by I.P. Pavlov form various combinations that determine the type of nervous system. Four main typical combinations of them are presented in the form four types higher nervous activity:

o strong, balanced, agile ( sanguine);

o strong, balanced, inert ( phlegmatic person);

o strong, unbalanced ( choleric);

o weak ( melancholic).

These types of nervous system, not only in quantity, but also in basic characteristics, correspond to the four classical types of temperament.

In the 50s In the USSR, laboratory studies of temperament were carried out under the leadership of first B.M. Teplov, then V.D. Nebylitsin and subsequently V.M. Rusalov, as a result of which I.P. Pavlov’s typology was supplemented with new elements. Based on numerous techniques for studying the properties of the human nervous system, two more properties of nervous processes were experimentally isolated and described: lability And dynamism.

Lability of the nervous system manifests itself in the speed of emergence and cessation of nervous processes. Essence dynamics of nervous processes constitute the ease and speed of formation of positive (dynamic stimulation - excitation) and inhibitory (dynamic inhibition) conditioned reflexes.

In accordance with this, the traditional psychophysiological assessment of temperament changes and instead of two parameters - activity and sensitivity - it already includes four components: ergicity (endurance), plasticity, speed and emotionality (sensitivity). All these components of temperament, according to V.M. Rusalov, are biologically and genetically determined. Temperament depends on the properties of the nervous system, and they, in turn, are understood as the main characteristics of functional systems that provide integrative, analytical and synthetic activity of the brain and the entire nervous system as a whole.

Thus, temperament is a psychobiological category, consisting in the fact that its properties are neither completely innate nor dependent on the environment. They, as the author puts it, represent a “systemic generalization” of the initially genetically specified individual biological properties of a person, which, “included in the most different types activities, gradually transform and form, regardless of the content of the activity itself, a generalized, qualitatively new individually stable system of invariant properties.”

According to two main types human activity- objective activity and communication - each of the identified properties of temperament should be considered separately, since it is assumed that they manifest themselves differently in activity and communication.

One more circumstance characterizing the connection between temperament and the properties of the nervous system should be paid attention to. Psychological characteristics temperament is not the properties of the nervous system themselves or their combination, but the typical features of the course of mental processes and behavior that these properties give rise to.

Let us consider these properties in relation to cognitive processes, objective activity and human communication. The corresponding properties include activity, productivity, excitability, inhibition and switchability.

The active side of perception, attention, imagination, memory and thinking is characterized, respectively, by the extent to which a person is able to concentrate, concentrate his attention, imagination, memory and thinking on a certain object or its aspect. Pace is manifested in how quickly the corresponding mental processes work. For example, one person remembers, recalls, considers, imagines, thinks about solving a problem faster than another.

The productivity of all of the listed cognitive processes can be assessed by their products, by the results obtained over a certain period of time. Productivity is higher where you manage to see, hear, remember, remember, imagine, and decide more in the same amount of time. Productivity should not be confused with performance. A person who has highly productive (in the indicated sense of the word) cognitive processes does not necessarily have increased performance, i.e. the ability to maintain a given pace of work for a long time.

Excitability, inhibition and switchability characterize the speed of occurrence, cessation or switching of one or another cognitive process from one object to another, transition from one action to another. For example, some people take longer than others to engage in mental work or switch from thinking about one topic to another. Some people remember or recall information faster than others. It should also be kept in mind here that these differences do not define people's abilities.

In relation to objective activity, activity means the strength and amplitude of the movements associated with it. They are instinctively wider in an active person than in a less active person. For example, increased temperamental activity in sports gives rise to wider and stronger movements in an athlete, included in various exercises, than in someone whose temperamental property is weakly expressed. A more active person has a more extensive handwriting, his letters are taller, and the distance between them is greater than that of a less active individual. A person with increased activity finds it more difficult to perform weak, subtle, small-amplitude movements, while a person with reduced activity finds it more difficult to perform strong and sweeping movements.

The pace of work in subject activity is determined by the number of operations, actions, movements performed per unit of time. One person prefers to work at a fast pace, another at a slow pace.

The productivity of actions associated with movements depends on the activity and pace of work, if no additional requirements, other than frequency and intensity, are imposed on the corresponding actions.

In human communication, the discussed properties of temperament manifest themselves in a similar way, only in this case they relate to verbal and nonverbal interaction between person and person. In an individual with increased activity, speech, facial expressions, gestures, and pantomime are more pronounced than in a person with reduced activity. More active people tend to have a stronger voice. The rate of their speech, as well as the rate of emotionally expressive movements, is quite high.

The communication style of highly and weakly excitable people differs significantly. The former react faster, make contact more easily, and adapt better in communication than the latter. Inhibited individuals stop communicating more easily and are less talkative than those whose inhibitory reactions are slow. These latter are often distinguished by the fact that they talk a lot, do not let go of the interlocutor and create the impression of being annoying.

They have difficulty switching in communication from one topic to another, from one person to another. The “productivity” of their communication, i.e. the ability to communicate and perceive information per unit of time, is also greater than that of people of the opposite type - inactive and slow-paced.

In foreign countries, most psychologists are characterized by an empirical focus on temperament research, which is expressed in the so-called “factorial” approach to understanding the structure of temperament. The most famous studies in this regard are G. and M. Ayzenkov. Their characteristic feature is their reliance on vast (more than thirty years of experimental material), which has confirmed the existence of such fundamental traits of temperament (personality - in Eysenck’s terminology) as extraversion - introversion, neuroticism (emotional stability - emotional instability) and psychoticism. According to Eysenkov, it is these three fundamental dimensions of temperament that are universal, inherent in all representatives Homo sapiens and which can be used as the basis for a typology of temperament (G. Yu. Eysenck, 1993).

Thus, in the history of the development of the doctrine of temperament, two aspects are clearly distinguished: the first is associated with the transformation of ideas about the biological foundations of temperament, the second is with a change in the understanding of the psychological components of temperament themselves.

Properties of the nervous system as the physiological basis of temperament. Cheat sheet: Temperament

Physiological basis of temperament