Hi,
Would anyone please tell me how one can tell the difference between them? I'm looking for some meaning element which makes each of them specific to be used in a different way.
Thanks in advance.
I'll give it a shot. To paraphrase luschen, I'm not a psychiatrist but I've had my head shrunk.
Mood is an emotional state you're in. Moods change and they're not innate; they are temporary states. Ex. happy, sad, angry, depressed
Temperament is the innate part of your personality (or so they say) while character includes learned/conditioned aspects. How temperament is classified depends on what psychological model you're using.
Nature is what is essential about you. This isn't a psychological term the way the other three are. A common phrase is "nature vs. nurture" -- a division that separates what is inborn about us and what is socialized.
I'd add the word "disposition". Pretty much like the words character or nature. The word "mood" is quite the opposite, one may swing from one mood to another, but it is very hard, if it is not impossible, to change for one to change his/her nature. But I'll never say never.
Last edited by euncu; 12-Apr-2011 at 22:24. Reason: typo