Chapter 10: Temperament, Emotion, and Self

Temperament

stable individual differences in quality and intensity of emotional reaction, activity level, attention, and emotional self-regulation

Temperament Theory

various theoretical approaches believe that temperament is biologically based, refers to individual differences, modifiable by environment, degree of stability over time

Biology Based Theories

Rothbart & Bates and Buss&Plomin

Rothbart & Bates

dual processes of reactivity and self-regulation. How easy they are aroused and self-regulation after that

Buss & Plomin

inherited part of the personality, includes traits of emotionality, activity, sociability. Personality is rooted in childhood and moves up into adulthood

Malleability of temperament in environmental interaction

Goldsmith&Campos, Kagen, Chess&Thomas

Goldsmith&Campos

individual differences in expression of emotionality and activity. (If a 3 year old falls in front of a group of people that laughs, reaction is same on the inside as an 8yo, but presented different)

Kagen

Behavioral inhibition (how shy we are in terms of expressing who we are)

Chess&Thomas

behavioral style on an individual, distinguishable from cognition, motivation, or abilities (Analysis of parent interviews about infants and their characteristic responses to daily events)

Nine traits of temperament

•Activity level,

•Rhythmicity or regularity,

•Approach or withdrawal (adaptability to new situations),

•Adaptability (in general),

•Sensory threshold,

•Quality of mood,

•Intensity of reaction or response,

•Distractibility, and

•Persistence or attention span.

Then grouped them in easy, slow to warm up, or difficult

Goodness of Fit

providing structure while providing support. (Meet the needs of child's temperament while meeting parents' and family needs)

Emotional Devleopment

basic emotions are universal. Facial expressions are the most reliable cues

Emotion

responses that help sense or experience a feeling. Leads to expression or behavior. Could keep you safe (fear), communicate in relationships

Emotional Competence

awareness of emotional state, detecting other's emotions, empathy and sympathy

Birth Emotional milestones

attraction and withdrawl

2-3 mo emotional milestones

social smile, respond to facial expression

3-4 mo emotional milestones

laugh at active stimuli

6-8 mo emotional milestones

anger, fear, attachment

8-12 mo emotional milestones

social referencing (understand that their gaze is a way of communication)

18-30 mo emotional milestones

self conscious emotions (shame, guilt, pride)

Regulation of Emotions

how you manage a situation, gets better with age, key dimensions of development

Display Rules for Emotional Expression

Maximize, Minimize, Neutralize, Mask Rule

Maximize rule

enhance the expression of an emotion that you feel (a young child cries more loudly after a fall when a parent is present.

Minimize Rule

reduce expression of an emotion that you actually feel (a child seems to not care much after losing a competitive game, but they do)

Neutralize

showing no emotion at all even though you are feeling aroused (A child puts on a 'poker face' when being teased by sibling)

Mask Rule

replacing the expression of the emotion that you feel with the opposite emotional expression (a child expresses delight when opening a disappointing gift in the presence of the gift giver)

Self Conscious emotions

emerge later (1.5-2.5 years), shame, pride, guilt

Development of Self-Concept

infants are born without a self concept, gradually come to distinguish themselves from the external environment

proprioceptive feedback

one's sense of spatial awareness

personal agency

interact and gain more experience in environments

self recognition

recognize oneself in a mirror or a photograph

false self

adolescents conforming their identities to what they think they should be