390 ALBERT S. MORACZEWSKI 



ligations confirm the traditional view of the emotions as im- 

 manent activities consequent upon an estimative judgment, 

 distinct from biochemical changes, yet associated with them. 



Another factor which tends to modify the operation of the 

 mind and will is temperament. In the absence of any extensive 

 analysis of this area, it might be said that a considerable 

 component of temperament is physiological in origin." This 

 in turn may reflect a genetic influence on the biochemical 

 constitution of the individual. The four basic temperaments 

 furnished by classic authors classify men according to the kind 

 of response made to a given stimuli: the quick and slow, the 

 lasting and ephemeral. Each of the basic temperaments is char- 

 acterized by the possible pairs made up from one in each set. 

 This suggests an actual connection with the central nervous 

 system geared to respond in a certain manner to stimuli. 

 Differences in temperament are apparently associated with 

 differences in the responsiveness of the nervous system. What- 

 ever an individual's temperament might be, it must be taken 

 into consideration when evaluating normal and abnormal be- 

 havior. At present too little is known about the correlation of 

 temperament and abnormal behavior to draw any conclusions. 



The endocrine pattern of an individual, however, is clearly 

 associated in some way with temperament. It is tempting to 

 suggest that the hormonal factors may actually constitute the 

 primary biochemical substratum of temperament. It is well 

 known now that the hypothalamus influences the activity of 

 the pituitary gland, probably through the release of neuro- 

 hormones.-" The pituitary gland, in turn, governs the activity 

 of several other glands, the adrenals, thyroid and gonads, whose 

 products influence the activity of other organs in the body and 

 the brain itself. While the sexual behavior of animals is pri- 

 marily determined by the hormones liberated by the gonads, 

 there are other influences in man which modify the basic 



L. M. Bond, The Effect of Bodily Temperament on Psychical Characteristics 

 (River Forest: Aquinas Library, 1948) . 



'° W. S. Fields, ed., Hypothalamic-Hypophysial Interrelationships (Springfield: 

 Thomas, 1956) . 



