CFS138 s.2 (Exam 3)

Temperament

• Biologically based individual differences in emotional reactivity & self-regulation that appear early in life

New York Longitudinal Study (Thomas & Chess)

• Followed children from infancy into adulthood to study temperament & later outcomes

Activity Level

• How physically active a child is

  • high = constantly moving

  • low = calm & still

Rhythmicity

• Regularity of biological functions like sleep, hunger, & elimination

Approach/Withdrawal

• How a child responds to new people or situations

  • approach = eager

  • withdrawal = hesitant

Adaptability

• How easily a child adjusts to changes in routines or environments

Intensity of Reaction

• Strength of emotional responses

  • high = big reactions

  • low = mild reactions

Mood

• General emotional tone

  • (positive vs. negative outlook)

Attention Span & Persistence

• How long a child can focus & continue a task

Distractibility

• How easily attention is disrupted by noise or stimulation

Sensory Threshold

• Sensitivity to sensory input

  • low threshold = easily bothered

  • high = less sensitive

Easy Temperament

• Regular routines

• Positive mood

• Adaptable

• Low intensity

Difficult Temperament

• Irregular routines

• Intense reactions

• Negative mood

• Slow to adapt

Slow-to-Warm-Up Temperament

• Low activity

• Cautious

• Slow adaptation

• Mild reactions

Goodness of Fit

• Match between a child’s temperament & the demands of their environment

  • ex: a shy child does better with patient, supportive parents than with harsh, rushed parents

Impact of Goodness of Fit

• Predicts better emotional regulation, social competence, & fewer behavior problems

Criticism of Thomas & Chess

• Study relied heavily on parent reports, which may be biased

• Temperament categories may oversimplify continuous traits

How Modern Studies Improve This

• Use:

  • Observational methods

  • Physiological measures

  • Larger diverse samples

Jerome Kagan

• Studied biological bases of temperament, especially fearfulness & reactivity

High-Reactive (Inhibited)

• Infants who react strongly to novelty (newness) more likely to be shy & fearful later

Low-Reactive (Uninhibited)

• Infants who show little fear to novelty more likely to be bold & sociable

Stability of Temperament (Kagan)

• About 20% of infants remain consistently inhibited over time

• Many change with experience

Temperament × Socialization

• Parenting style can strengthen or soften inborn temperament traits

Temperament & Risk

• Inhibited children have higher risk for anxiety

• Uninhibited children have higher risk for behavior problems