Â. Ì. Teplov was one of the leading researchers of the problem of abilities in the world's psychology and the author of an objective methodology of analysis of abilities and endowments. Differential psychophysiology, a branch of studies he created, is an attempt to combine the up-to-date developments in the Pavlovian typology with promising modern theories of personality and individuality. The author provides a summary of the experimental data which prove Teplov's idea that typological properties of the nervous system constitute a part of the natural basis of development of abilities/ endowments. In particular results of studies of voluntary/involuntary functions, mnemic, linguistic, musical, learning and educational abilities are discussed in relation to the following three spheres of man's activity: work, cognition, communication.