temperament 2

What does temperament heritability research suggest overall?

Temperament is moderately influenced by genetic factors across age.

What mainly explains stability in temperament over time?

Genetic factors.

What mainly explains changes in temperament over time?

Environmental factors.

What concept did Thomas and Chess introduce?

Goodness of fit.

What is “goodness of fit”?

When a child’s temperament matches environmental demands and expectations.

What is “poorness of fit”?

When a child’s temperament does not match environmental demands, leading to maladaptive outcomes.

Why was temperament theory historically important?

It challenged the “tabula rasa” idea that children are blank slates.

What approach did Thomas and Chess advocate?

An interactionist and idiographic approach.

Is behaviourism compatible with temperament theory?

Yes.

Is infant temperament highly heritable?

Yes, more than adult personality according to the lecture quiz.

Who is child temperament most useful for according to the lecture poll?

Clinicians.

What are the two broad adjustment outcomes linked to temperament?

Internalising and externalising problems.

How strong are links between temperament and later adjustment?

Generally moderate in strength.

How well does infant temperament predict later outcomes?

Prediction from infancy is weak but increases by early childhood.

What problems are difficult and active babies at greater risk for?

Colic, sleep problems, excessive crying, and abdominal pain.

What types of problems are linked to difficult temperament?

Both internalising and externalising problems.

What was the aim of Caspi et al. (1995)?

To link early temperament to later internalising and externalising problems.

What sample did Caspi et al. (1995) use?

A large representative New Zealand sample of over 800 children.

What temperament traits were measured in Caspi et al. (1995)?

Lack of control, approach, and sluggishness.

Which temperament trait best predicted later behaviour problems?

Lack of control.

Which problems did lack of control predict most strongly?

Externalising problems.

What did Caspi et al. suggest about temperament and psychopathology?

Problem behaviours may reflect the extreme end of temperament/personality.

How can early temperament shape later behaviour?

By influencing later interactions with people and environments.

Why must temperament be understood in context?

Its effects depend on the social environment.

How is “difficult” temperament viewed in many Western societies?

It is associated with poor outcomes.

What did deVries (1984/1985) find about difficult temperament in Maasai infants?

It provided an evolutionary advantage during harsh drought conditions.

How many Maasai infants were studied in the temperament research?

48 infants aged 4–5 months.

How were Maasai infants classified in the study?

As easy or difficult temperament using the Infant Temperament Questionnaire.

What happened to infant mortality rates in the Maasai study?

Mortality exceeded 50%.

Which infants had higher mortality rates in the Maasai study?

Infants with easy temperaments.