An Overview of Personality Types

By Natalie Nyquist

God could have made us all Expressives.
We could have lots of fun but accomplish little.
He could have made us all Analyticals.
We would have been organized and charted
but not very cheerful.
He could have made us all Dominants.
We would have been set to lead,
but impatient that no one would follow!
He could have made us all Solids.
We would have had a peaceful world
but not much enthusiasm for life.
We need each temperament for the total function of the body.
Each part should do its work to unify the action and produce harmonious results.

-Florence Littauer in The Gift of Encouraging Words

Most people are not exactly one specific personality type, but a mixture of two or even all four. That is what makes each girl so special. No one has exactly the same combination! In my case, I have an underlying foundation of Dominant, but in my early teens developed heavy Solid tendencies. Yet I'm more Analytical than anything else. :-) Perhaps you are Expressive with a dash of Dominant—or Solid through and through. :-) Whatever you may be, rejoice that God has fashioned you so fabulously!

“No one temperament can be said to be better than another. Each one contains strengths and richness, yet each one is fraught with its own weaknesses and dangers.”
-Tim LayHaye, in Spirit-Controlled Temperament

A person's physical appearance can change dramatically over the years, but their personality is ingrained for a lifetime. Through the work of the Holy Spirit each person's inborn weaknesses can be overcome, and their strengths put to use, but the underlying personality remains relatively the same. I think that these classifications are excellent and helpful in understanding why people act the way they do.

Analytical

You can easily picture an Analytical stating “A place for everything and everything in its place.” :-) Orderliness and propriety are important to this person. The Analytical loves music and art. The top violinist at an institute of music is probably at least part Analytical, and the appreciation of beauty and music will be a great help to him. The dedication to perfection and things done right is one of the valuable traits of this personality.

This…person is usually very neatly put together and intellectual looking, quiet, reserved, and a little ill-at-ease in social situations where they don't know everyone. They would rather talk quietly with one person in depth than banter with a group. They consider compliments on clothes and external niceties to be trivial and want to hear about the inner virtues of integrity, wisdom, and spiritual values. They often marry Expressives who can't find their way inside these deep virtues and who keep telling them how cute they look. When we don't understand these differences, we are giving out silver boxes that nobody wants. The Analytical is very sensitive and easily hurt and tends to take what others say in humor as personal and hurtful. Since Expressives and Dominants say whatever comes to their minds without weighing their words, they often deflate the Analytical who is waiting for someone to hand him a silver box that says, “I understand you.”
- Florence Littauer

The Analytical girl is the thinker, the philosopher, and the analyzer. They are the ones who go to the heart of the issue and relish long heart-to-heart chats with a close friend. She is a wonderful asset to the Body of Christ in many ways. She is often blessed with much talent and intellect, and finishes her own projects as well as the Expressive's. She has enormous self-discipline and loyalty, and is a good listener. Gary Smalley likens the Analytical to a beaver, who is busy, and a precise perfectionist. Analyticals are the ones who have every “I” dotted and every “t” crossed. The mirror is not clean until that streak is gone etc. They are reserved and extremely introverted.

Gloominess, irritability, and depression characterize Miss Analytical. She is often sad and unhappy. Analytical will have the most work for the Holy Spirit to do in developing qualities of inner beauty in her life.

The Analytical needs to be careful not to procrastinate, or put unrealistic demands on others. They often have a poor self-image, and can be stubbornly legalistic. A verse that would be helpful for her is Colossians 3:15-16. Dear girls, many say that the Analytical has the greatest potential for success, if only she will not give in to the voice saying that she is “no good”. A verse for us is 2 Corinthians 3:11. I submit that a key to maintaining sanity as an Analytical is to possess an irrepressible sense of humor. :-) Without it life is off-balance; it is all serious and sad with no laughter and fun. As an Analytical, being able to laugh at myself is always an amusing pastime and a great help. :-)

Expressive

When I read the definitions of the various personality types, I tried to think of friends who might fit into those groups. It is easy to decide who is Expressive—because that is part of who they are! They like to be noticed, and often these people are the easiest to identify simply because they are in the spotlight. :-) Everyone notices the Expressive. They enjoy talking, and generally “light up the room.” They are fun to be around because they love to have fun! It's been said that everyone loves an Expressive. :-)

“They live for the externals and want you to get excited over their clothes, sense of humor, or new red sports car. If you are an Analytical, you will not naturally be given to praising the obvious and will feel that to laugh at the Expressive's jokes and stories will only encourage them to babble on.”

-Florence Littauer

I think that there are many people who possess some Expressive characteristics, and this personality type is probably easiest to identify in people because it is one that demands attention. The Expressive is the one who makes the grand entrance, has the circle of people all listening raptly to her stories, and is everybody's friend. They are people who are “up”: cheery, full of hope and optimism. Gary Smalley compared these popular, “life of the party” people to otters in his classification system. These people are recognized by being inspirational, energetic, and the kind of people who would say, “Trust me, it will work out.”

The Expressive's shortcomings would include a tendency to waste time, stretching the truth, selfishness, and irresponsibility. Because they are so bubbly and talkative they can easily dominate conversations and intimidate others. If you are an Expressive you may have to watch carefully to ensure these sins do not gain a foothold in your life. Remember Philippians 4:13.

“Miss Expressive has more natural inner-beauty qualities than the other temperaments. She can work on calmness and on controlling her tongue. She will find help in God's Word, particularly in Colossians 4:6, ‘Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.'”

Solid

You can easily picture a Solid lying in a hammock with a glass of lemonade, dreamily watching the sun go down. They love peace and quiet. No conflicts, smooth sailing, avoiding any bumps in the road—that's the Solid's ideal. They will do anything to avoid fights and arguments, and it bothers them when everyone is not getting along. I can picture a Solid often wondering, if not asking, “Is everything okay between us?” Rest and relaxation are great loves for them. You don't see Solids getting into trouble with authority very often. They are the people who you see at the edge of the Expressive's audience, and you want to go over and hug them. They do not demand attention, yet they are worth paying heed to because they often possess a marvelous sense of humor, keen perspective on life, and thoughtful ways. While the Expressive would bask in a lively group of girls, the Solid would more likely be seen leaning against the wall, enjoying her own private thoughts.

“They do appreciate being noticed once in awhile, being included in conversations that they won't push into on their own, and being told they are of value and that their opinion is respected.” -Florence Litteaur

I compare a Solid to a chameleon. They can blend into any situation, “changing color” as it were, depending on the people and circumstances. They truly fulfill Christ's command to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Easygoing and well-loved, she often radiates the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. Gary Smalley calls the peaceful Solid a Golden Retriever, who bends so easily to any situation and tends to be very sensitive. One weakness in the Solid's personality is a lack of enthusiasm. You see this type sitting on the couch, not jumping up and down. An excited Solid is a rare sight. J They are worn out just thinking about the Dominant's constant racing about.

Other trouble areas of the Solid appear to contradict each other. Because they long to see every conflict quickly and painlessly resolved, they can appear as if they do not know how to think for themselves. Yet another fault is their stubbornness to change. They are the type who go to the ice cream shop and order vanilla every time. For the Expressive (who orders a different flavor every visit) this is rather astonishing. :-) Solids need to learn to communicate and guard against laziness. Scripture that may help them is James 1:5-8.

Solid people are conservative and usually neat, efficient, and dependable. Miss Solid has some natural inner beauty. Compassion for others is an area she needs to improve. Romans 12:10 says, “Be kindly affectionate one to another...in honor preferring one another.”

Dominant

I confess that sometimes I just have to stop and laugh when I see someone exhibiting strong Dominant behavior. Perhaps that is because I show some of it myself. :-) The Dominants can be recognized by their confident walk, and the authoritative stance they maintain.

“Such people don't want to waste much time on trivial activity with no obvious results or converse with people who have nothing to say of any consequence. They accomplish more than any of the other personality types, can quickly assess what needs to be done, and are usually right.”
-Florence Littauer

They work long and hard. Multi-tasking is second nature for them. You may see a Dominant eating lunch while reading a school book and carrying on a conversation with someone—all at the same time. This is normal for everyone to do some of the time, but the driven Dominant does it constantly. They accomplish an amazing amount of work in a very short time.

This means that Dominants can easily run over Solids without even realizing it. The deliberate Solid needs only to compliment the Dominant on their diligence however, and they will suddenly be seen as a wise person. If this wasn't so true it would be funny. Perhaps the Dominant personality has more weaknesses than strengths, yet we could not function without them. They are confident and can make others confident as well. They are driven people with goals, ready to tackle any problem. Gary Smalley likens them to the lion. They are purposeful and productive.

The Christian young woman who identifies with this personality type can find in God's Word the means of Christian growth, the way to develop a calm spirit of inner beauty (Philippians 2:13). “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” The words of James 1:19 may be helpful: “...Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”

Dominants must remember that exhaustion is not next to godliness, and getting everything done on your to-do list doesn't guarantee success in life. They are hard workers and this is very good, but they can tend to always be the boss and take control of everything. I am not saying that having strong leaders is wrong—assertive Dominants are vital to the Body of Christ. The key for them is remembering Who is ultimately in control, and constantly relinquishing their own desires into the Lord's hands and trusting Him alone for everything. The key for the Dominants is trusting and surrendering to God. They can also claim 1 John 1:9 and Provervs 2:6, 9.

There are so many different ways that personalities have been defined, and while the previous is probably the most common, the following classification is good, as no person is 100% Solid, etc. Most people have a nice mixture of 2 or 3 types, as is explained in this article: Myers-Briggs Teaches Typing

 

Personality Studies

(information compiled and submitted by Lizzy S. and Amy R.)

• The Sanguine is the popular person who wants to have fun out of every situation and be the life of the party. Sanguine love to talk.
• The Choleric is the powerful person who wants to take control of every situation and make decisions for others. Choleric love to work.
• The Melancholy is the perfect person who wants everything done in order and done properly and who appreciates art and music. Melancholies love to analyze.
• The Phlegmatic is the peaceful person who wants to stay out of trouble, keep life on an even keel, and get along with everybody. Phlegmatics like to rest.

It is amazing how quickly we can learn to spot these people and therefore know how to approach them correctly.

The Sanguines are the easiest to spot because they make grand entrances, love attention, attract people with their magnetism, exude charisma, and tell funny stories. What they want to hear from you is how attractive they are, how you like their hair, make-up, dangling rhinestone earrings, or anything else they have put on to ensure that you notice them. They live for the externals and want you to get excited over their clothes, sense of humor, or new red sports car. If you are a Melancholy, you will not naturally be given to praising the obvious and will feel that to laugh at the Sanguine's jokes and stories will only encourage them to babble on.

The Choleric Powerful Person is easy to spot because he walks with authority and appears to be in charge of everything. Such people don't want to waste much time on trivial activity with no obvious results or converse with people w ho have nothing to say of any consequence. They are frequently telling other people what to do and pointing out the "dummies" of life. They accomplish more than any of the other personality types, can quickly assess what needs to be done, and are usually right. They don't need to be affirmed on their looks, but they love praise for their accomplishment; their speed in problem solving; their constant goal setting, their loyalty to God, church, mother, business, or country; and their sense of fair play. If you are a Phlegmatic you get worn out just watching these people, but if you want them to be impressed with you, tell them how amazed you are at how much they accomplish in a very short time. They may never have noticed you before but they will suddenly see you as a person of great discernment.

The Melancholy Perfect Person is usually very neatly put together and intellectual looking. These people are usually quiet, reserved, and a little ill-at-ease in social situations where they don't know everyone. They would rather talk quietly with one person in depth than banter with a group. They consider compliments on clothes and external niceties to be trivial and want to hear about the inner virtues of integrity, wisdom, and spiritual values. They often marry Sanguines who can't find their way inside these deep virtues and who keep telling them how cute they look. When we don't understand these differences, we are giving out silver boxes that nobody wants. The Melancholy is very sensitive and easily hurt and tends to take what others say in humor as personal and hurtful. Since Sanguines and Cholerics say whatever comes to their minds without weighing their words, they often deflate the Melancholy who is waiting for someone to hand him a silver box that says, "I understand you."

The Phlegmatic Peaceful Person is amiable, easy to get along with, and relaxed. These people fit into any situation, blend in with the wallpaper, and modify their personality to get along without conflict. They laugh with those who laugh and cry with those who cry. Everyone loves the low-key nature of the inoffensive Phlegmatic, and though they aren't loud like the Sanguine, they do have a witty sense of humor. They often lean while standing and sit in comfortable recliner chairs if at all possible. They don't need a lot of praise like the Sanguine, nor do they want to be in charge like the Choleric, or get to deeply involved like the Melancholy. They do appreciate being noticed once and a while, being included in conversations that they won't push into on their own, and being told they are of value and their opinion is respected. Since they often marry Cholerics, whose idea of value is wrapped up in how much is accomplished in a given day, they don't get appreciated for their quiet and gentle spirit. They, in turn, find it difficult to praise the constant projects of the Choleric because it wears them out just thinking of them.

(Some of the above information was taken from Silver Boxes by Florence Littauer.)

Sanguine ~ A young woman with a sanguine temperament is warm, loving, cheerful, optimistic, hopeful, and confident. Because of her bubbly personality, she often appears phony and comes on too strong. She is apt to dominate the conversation or talk too much about herself. In her enthusiasm, she may exaggerate the truth, waste time, and forget obligations. Miss Sanguine has more natural inner-beauty qualities than the other temperaments. She can work on calmness and on controlling her tongue. She will find help in God's Word, particularly in Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."

Choleric ~ The choleric young woman is an extrovert. She is sure of her ability to handle any situation and can motivate others to action. Her personality perhaps has more weaknesses than strengths. She is quick tempered and easily angered. Choleric temperaments are irritated easily. Miss Choleric will have to work at developing the calm spirit of inner beauty. The Christian young woman who identifies with this personality type can find in God's Word the means of Christian growth, the way to develop a calm spirit of inner beauty (Philippians 2:13). "For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." The words of James (James 1:19) may be helpful: "...Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."

Melancholic ~ Gloominess, irritability, and depression characterize Miss Melancholic. She is often sad and unhappy. A melancholic personality is often very gifted with intellect and talent. She is self-disciplined and usually finishes the projects she starts. Miss Melancholic will have the most work for the Holy Spirit to do in developing qualities of inner beauty in her life. She will find help in such verses as Colossians 3:15 and 16: "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts...Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Phlegmatic ~ The phlegmatic is a super introvert. She is very slow and easy-going. It is hard to rouse her to action. She at times is selfish and stubborn. Most of the time she is easy to get along with and cheerful. Phlegmatic people are conservative and usually neat, efficient, and dependable. Miss Phlegmatic has some natural inner beauty. Compassion for others is an area she needs to improve. Romans 12:10 says, "Be kindly affectionate one to another...in honor preferring one another."

(The above information was taken from the Fifth Home Economics Book published by Christian Light Publications. Reprinted by permission. www.clp.org )