Humoral theory (temperament) and MBTI correlations?

[Halfjillhalfjack]

Mh.....I know that there seems to be some correspondence between humoral theory/ temperaments
and MBTI....... if not, than at least Keirsey associated

Melancholy --> SJ
Sanguine --> SP
Choleric --> NF
Phlegmatic --> NT


but....I always have the impression that these mappings do not really work in such a simplistic way.... what do you think?
In temperament test I always score highest on Melancholy, and lowest an Choleric....though I believe SJ to be my secondary temperament, I am absolutely sure that I am an NF. I often find characteristics among the melancholy description which I find would also fit into certain NF descriptions....

 

[BlackCat]

I score as Phlegmatic Choleric. This seems to be more of an enneagram thing. 9 is typically phlegmatic, 8 is typically choleric (I'm 9w8).

I'm definitely Phlegmatic, and I can agree with Choleric and Sanguine as a secondary; but I feel that I'm more Choleric. I should look into it more.

 

[Eric B]

OK; where do I start?

I believe Keirsey got NF and NT backwards. NT is Choleric. While it would seem difficult to call NF Phlegmatic, there are a few explanations for this. For one thing the humor temperaments were originally measured by the factors of response-delay and response-sustain. Delay is basically extroversion (short) and introversion (long). Sustain basically evolved into people-focus (short) and task-focus (long).

But Keirsey's temperaments are not based on introversion/extraversion. They are evenly divided into I and E types. So what I believe would correspond to response-delay in Keirsey's system is pragmatic (short) and cooperative (long). And people-task would be the additional factor Berens identified: motive-focus (short), and structure-focus (long).
The Choleric was defined as short delay/long sustain, which would match NT (pragmatic, structure), and the Phlegmatic was long delay/short sustain, which would be NF (cooperative, motive).

Keirsey did not use these factors to map the temperaments; he used supposed "traits", of "exciteability" for the Choleric, and "calmness" for the Phlegmatic. But the second reason this may not seem to match is that there are actually two sets of humour temperament groups overlayed onto each other in the types. One is Keirsey's, dealing with what's known as "conation" (action) skills, and the other one is the Interaction Styles, which are social or "affective" skills. These are closer to the classic temperaments, such as the Choleric and Phlegmatic. They use I/E as delay, and another factor called "directing/informing" for sustain.

So an INFJ is Melancholy, because of the INJ part (Called "Chart the Course", which is introverted and directive), and most INFJ's who take humor tests come out as a mixture of Melancholy with Phlegmatic (or a possible fifth temperament in another version of the theory). NF's are the diplomatic temperament, which matches one of the key descriptions of the Phlegmatic.

Black Cat's temperament did not really match, but then this may be because it is possible to have a blend of three temperaments, and the test he based that on only lists them by strength, not which area of temperament it lies in. So he's probably Phleg-San-Chlor (the first two fit ISFP), and the Choleric came out second in strength.

 

[theadoor]

I'm Chol/San, not even a little of Phle, even tho I'm strong NT.