Temperament and Emotions: The Chemistry of Our Behaviour

Farzollah Gholizadeh and Fariba Bayrami

How does the body’s physiology set the colour of our emotions?

Introduction

Our emotions are not just “states of mind”. They come from a complex interplay of the nervous system, hormones and neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, GABA, adrenaline and cortisol.

Within the theory of temperament, temperament can be defined simply as the body’s dominant pattern of metabolism and its style of nervous and hormonal response.

So each temperament has its own “chemical signature” and an emotional style that goes with it:

• What makes it happy most quickly?
• How does it decide under psychological pressure?
• How does it calm down?
• Which traits stand out most in relationships?

An important note: temperaments are not fixed labels; they are natural tendencies. Education, life experience, lifestyle, sleep quality, food, exercise and physical health can change how strong these tendencies are. No temperament is a limitation; it only shows the natural direction of your energy. When your way of living and working fits that direction, and you know your weak points, burnout goes down and satisfaction goes up.

How does temperament shape emotions?

To understand the link between temperament and emotion, consider three main axes.

1. The autonomic nervous system

The body constantly moves between two states:

• The sympathetic system: activity and “fight or flight” → higher arousal
• The parasympathetic system: rest and repair → calm and balance

Some temperaments lean naturally towards arousal and speed; others towards calm and stability.

2. Neurotransmitters and hormones

Some important examples:

• Dopamine: motivation, setting goals, pursuing rewards
• Serotonin: mood balance, contentment, social ease
• GABA: the nervous system’s brake; reduces anxiety
• Adrenaline and noradrenaline: instant energy, quick reactions, focus in a crisis
• Cortisol: stress, alarm and readiness

3. Metabolism and energy level

Sleep, food and stress change the colour of our emotions. Even the same person can be more irritable and sensitive after a sleepless night, and more balanced and kind after a good night’s sleep.

The emotional strengths of each temperament

1. Safravi temperament (hot and dry), choleric

• Emotional style: courage and action
• Overall picture: a pioneer; decisive, energetic, action-oriented
• Physiological tendency: higher nervous arousal + high energy

Strengths:

• Courage: quickly activated by challenges
• Strong will: motivation jumps when there is a clear goal
• Quick decisions: acts fast in a crisis
• Emotional clarity: does not leave feelings vague
• Sense of justice: principles and standing up for what is right matter
• Leadership: gains energy from getting results

At their best: in goal-driven, demanding work; in results-focused projects; when they have the authority to decide; when they can burn off energy through sport; in relationships based on respect and honesty.

Daily practice:

1. Before an important decision: stop for 90 seconds and take 5 deep breaths.
2. 20 minutes of intense or moderate exercise a day.
3. When angry, turn the energy into concrete work rather than an argument.

2. Demevi temperament (hot and moist), sanguine

• Emotional style: joy and connection
• Overall picture: sociable, optimistic, warm-hearted
• Physiological tendency: more flexible emotional shifts + high social energy

Strengths: joy and liveliness, an optimistic outlook, showing love openly, connecting quickly, lifting others’ spirits, getting along with people, forgiving easily.

At their best: in social settings; in interactive roles such as teaching, sales, media and public relations; in relationships where feelings are expressed in a healthy way; in plans that have variety without becoming scattered.

Daily practice:

1. Choose one “main task” each day and finish it.
2. Work for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break (Pomodoro).
3. Before making a promise, say: “Let me check first.”

3. Balgami temperament (cold and moist), phlegmatic

• Emotional style: trust and acceptance
• Overall picture: calm, conciliatory, supportive
• Physiological tendency: a stronger tendency to calm down + low reactivity

Strengths: calm, great patience, emotional stability, a peaceful approach, being supportive, loyalty, contentment with simplicity.

At their best: in peaceful, stable settings; in long-term team roles; in relationships built on acceptance; with light but regular physical activity.

Daily practice:

1. Walk for 60 minutes every day.
2. Make goals smaller: just take the first step.
3. Once a day, say a kind but clear “no”.

4. Sevdavi temperament (cold and dry), melancholic

• Emotional style: depth and meaning
• Overall picture: analytical, meticulous, loyal, searching for meaning
• Physiological tendency: high nervous sensitivity + deep processing

Strengths: deep commitment, foreseeing risks, order and precision, emotional depth, wise empathy, quiet appreciation, a sense for beauty.

At their best: in calm, predictable settings; in work that needs deep focus, such as research, writing, design and analysis; in few but safe and deep relationships; with regular sleep and a low-stimulus life; with gentle, steady physical activity.

Daily practice:

1. The “good enough” rule: aim for what can be delivered, not for perfection.
2. For rumination: 10 minutes of writing to empty your mind.
3. 15 minutes of physical activity every day.

Conclusion

Every temperament has its own emotional capital:

• Safravi: action and strength
• Demevi: joy and connection
• Balgami: peace and trust
• Sevdavi: depth and meaning

In a balanced team, the Safravi person sets direction and decides, the Sevdavi person brings analysis and quality, the Balgami person provides stability, and the Demevi person strengthens motivation and communication.

Your best version comes out through three steps:

1. Recognise the natural direction of your energy.
2. Manage your weak points.
3. Fit your lifestyle to your temperament.

Frequently asked questions

Are these categories definite?

No. They are tendencies. Sleep, stress, food, illness and psychological skills can change them.

Is temperament the same as personality?

Not exactly. Personality combines genetics, upbringing and experience. Temperament mainly describes the physiological pattern of response.

Some days I feel the opposite of my temperament. Why?

Lack of sleep, work stress, poor food or illness change brain chemistry and nervous balance.

Sources

1. Kandel ER, Koester JD, Mack SH, Siegelbaum SA. Principles of Neural Science. 6th ed. McGraw-Hill; 2021.
2. Guyton AC, Hall JE. Textbook of Medical Physiology. 14th ed. Elsevier; 2021.
3. McCorry LK. Physiology of the autonomic nervous system. Am J Pharm Educ. 2007;71(4):78.
4. Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al. Neuroscience. 6th ed. Oxford University Press; 2018.
5. Ibn Sina (Avicenna). Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb (The Canon of Medicine).
6. Gholizadeh F. Mizaj Shenasi va Tebb-e Sonnati (Temperamentology and Traditional Medicine). Persian and Turkish editions.
7. Gholizadeh F. Principles of Magnetotherapy in Human Health.

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