The Four Temperaments

Attention temperaments

Leaders and Explorers have higher overall attention than the other types, although they express this attention very differently. They can keep multiple thoughts in their head simultaneously but perform worse when it comes to problem-solving and analyzing mistakes. They have a moderate emotional resilience compared to the other types. They perform worse at ordering, structuring, and controlling information. They have a moderate ability to adapt to changes.

The Leaders

Introverted and determined

Leaders are careful and cautious. They can consciously focus their attention for long durations of time. They can ignore things that bother them, and focus on things that they consider important or related to their goals. Leaders are sensitive to unexpected changes, so they prepare for what is to come. Leaders are goal-oriented, and work at their best when they feel certain of what to do and how to move forward. Uncertainity inhibits their motivation and energy but allows them clarity and enhanced focus, making them analytical and strategical in a specific field. Leaders can be incredibly productive but lack consistency and make errors more easily than other types. Leaders are driven to become more aware and to learn more as well as to control their response to what they learn. They take their time to make decisions and need to step back to think when trying to understand new information. They excel at reflecting back on a situation to find relevant information for present problems. They offer a guidance to others and are driven to assume responsibility for the group and the people around them, but find it tiresome to intervene directly in other's lives. They tend to need time to process their thoughts, but are good at explaining their thoughts accurately to others. 

Learn about Leaders in relationships.

The Explorers

Extroverted and adaptable

Explorers have the fastest reaction time of all the types. They are driven by a desire to learn and experience new things. They are daring, confident and ready for the unexpected. They seek awareness and new knowledge. They can act quickly on new knowledge, understanding changes faster than any of the other temperaments. They have quick instincts. They lack the ability for long-term sustained attention associated with executive types and will refocus their attention often. They have a wider scope of interests and a more broad understanding. They have quick decision making skills but make more flexible decisions than Fighters. They learn with a hands-on approach, and are more likely to experiment and play around than other types. They are good visual thinkers and can quickly spot patterns and important details, but just as Leaders, they can sometimes ignore or fail to react in time to problems and issues despite this. They are quick to realize what they think about something, but sometimes struggle to explain these thoughts to others.

Learn about Explorers in relationships.

Energy temperaments

Teachers and Fighters perform better at ordering, structuring, and controlling information. They are better at problem-solving and spotting mistakes. They have a lower overall attention and a slower information processing speed. They need more time to understand and decode information but also have a more accurate memory. They have a lower working memory and can hold less information in their head.

The Teachers

Introverted and adaptable

Teachers spend a lot of time in preparation, thinking over options, analyzing any possibilities they can find. Teachers thrive when they can keep their options open. They are sensitive to unexpected decisions, and work hard to keep all their ground covered. They work hard to avoid critique or negative feedback from others. They are studious, careful, and cautious. They avoid unnecessary risks. Teachers are driven by emotions and reward-seeking behavior, as well as learning to control their response to various emotions. They adapt quicker than any of the other types to changes, but as a result, lack willpower and struggle to uphold their values and decisions in real-time behavior. They are the temperament that struggles the most to maintain a decision as their mind is constantly reevaluating the situation, but they also have the highest tolerance for stress and pain. They are more emotionally resilient and cooperative, and the most open to outside suggestions and opinions. They experiment and test but are more careful than Explorers. They are sensitive to mistakes and issues in their environment and are naturally driven to help and cooperate with others to work through problems. 

Learn about Teachers in relationships.

The Fighters

Extroverted and determined

Fighters are confident, daring, and ready for the unexpected. They are focused and goal-oriented. They get more pleasure out of life than any of the other types, and are the most consistent of all the types. They stay dedicated towards a goal even when the rewards are gradually getting lower, and can help the group stay dedicated despite temporary changes. Fighters struggle the most to deal with difficult experiences, struggling to process and reflect on the experience, and struggling to control their response to emotions. They can make long-term decisions faster than the other types. Fighters struggle the most to refocus their attention and decisions of all the types and are the most likely to act on goals even when the rewards for doing so are decreasing. Fighters are very perceptive to mistakes and issues in execution and planning. They demand alot from the people around them and will quickly intervene when mistakes occur. They will quickly reward or punish people based on their behavior, keeping people informed on how they are doing. They tend to be less cooperative and sometimes struggle to provide support and help to others, but they can inspire and spur people on when necessary. They have the strongest willpower of all the temperaments and can fairly easily uphold their decisions in real-time behavior.

Learn about Fighters in relationships.