Social- Emotional Development: 1. Temperament Flashcards
What is temperament?
Definitions of temperament emphasise:
basic personality dispositions heavily influenced by genes.
stable, individual differences in quality and intensity of emotional reactions.
“Constitutionally based individual differences in emotional, motor, and attentional reactivity and self-regulation that demonstrate consistency across situations as well as relative stability over time.”
Thomas, Chess and Birch (1968) (New York Longitudinal Study)
Aim:
(i) Identification of categories of temperament.
(ii) Determine effects of early temperament on development.
Method:
133 infants studied from early infancy to early adulthood. Middle to upper middle-class infants. 3 point ratings of infant behaviour - Low, Medium, High. Ratings made from parent interviews.
The nine dimensions of temperament
Remembering many temperament dimensions is always an amazing achievement
Rhythmicity, Mood, Threshold of responsiveness, Distractibility, Intensity of reaction, Activity level, Approach or withdrawal, Adaptability, Attention span and persistence
Activity Level
general level of motor activity when awake and asleep
Rhythmicity
predictability of bodily functions such as appetite, sleep/wake cycle, and elimination patterns
Approach or Withdrawal
child’s initial response to novelty: new places, situations, or things
Adaptability
How easily a child adjusts to changes and transitions
Threshold of Responsiveness
level of stimulation necessary to evoke a response.
Intensity of Reaction
the reactive energy of a response, describes how expressive a child is.
Mood
basic positivity or negativity
Distractibility
ease with which the child can be distracted, or, conversely, his level of concentration or focus
Attention Span and Persistence
the ability to continue an activity when faced with obstacles
Findings on infant reactivity
Ratings tended to cluster into three temperament groupings
Easy (approx. 40%) – Flexible
Slow-to-warm-up (approx. 15%) – Fearful
Difficult (approx 10%) – Feisty
- doesn’t add up to 100% because some children are unable to be categorised
What are the features of children categorised as ‘easy’?
readily adapt to new experiences, generally display positive moods and emotions and also have normal eating and sleeping patterns
What are the features of children categorised as ‘slow-to-warm-up’?
low activity level, and tend to withdraw from new situations and people. They are slow to adapt to new experiences, but accept them after repeated exposure.
What are the features of children categorised as ‘difficult’
very emotional, irritable and fussy, and cry a lot. They also tend to have irregular eating and sleeping patterns.
What is goodness-of-fit?
Goodness-of-fit with parenting behaviour – the temperament mix between parents and children also affects family life.
For example, a slow paced parent may be irritated by a highly active child; or if both parent and child are highly active and intense, conflict could result.
Some examples of items on the Carey temperament scales 4-11 month children
The infant is fussy on waking up and going to sleep (frowns, cries). MOOD
The infant moves about much (kicks, grabs, squirms) during diapering and dressing. ACTIVITY
The infant stops play and watches when someone walks by. DISTRACTIBILITY
For the first few minutes in a new place or situation (new store or home) the infant is fretful. APPROACH
The infant keeps trying to get a desired toy, which is out of reach, for two minutes or more. PERSISTENCE
Some examples of items on the Carey temperament scales 3-7 year old children
The child holds back until sure of himself. APPROACH
The child will avoid misbehaviour if punished firmly once or twice. ADAPTABILITY
The child spontaneously wakes up at the usual time on weekends and holidays. RHYTHMICITY
The child becomes upset or cries over minor falls or bumps. THRESHOLD
The child speaks so quickly that it is sometimes difficult to understand him/her. ACTIVITY
Australian temperament project
Aim:
Identification of categories of temperament.
Determine effects of early temperament on development
Also interested in pathways to adjustment and maladjustment
Method:
2443 infants aged 4-8 months in 1983.
Unbiased sample of Victorian Local Government Areas.
6 point rating scale of frequency of behaviour.
ratings from parent questionnaires.
Australian temperament project definition of temperament
“Individual differences in attentional, emotional, and behavioural self-regulation, along with the relative level of emotional reactivity, which together give a unique flavour to an individual”
Implications of the Australian Temperament Project
Description and classification of early behaviour.
A factor influencing later adjustment - research into:
reading difficulties
attention problems
Parental guidance:
match between infant temperament and parental practices (‘goodness-of-fit’)
Findings from the Australian Temperament Project
Effective parenting is more crucial for some children than others.
What are the current views on temperament?
While temperament has long been thought of as something innate, recent research has demonstrated that only some aspects are genetic, while others are environmental.
On the genetic side, as any parent will agree, much of an individual’s personality manifests very early on in the infant’s life. Parents with more than one child often note that one of their children seems easygoing from day one, but another child is demanding. One child may be outgoing and social, while their sibling may be more shy or withdrawn.
Current research tells us that a pregnant mother’s iron levels can affect the disposition of her child.
Emerging data gleaned from animal research indicates that the quality of maternal parenting styles, such as the way a mother nurses her infants or the amount of maternal grooming, affects the temperament of her offspring.
What gives a child the best chance at developing a balanced temperament?
Every child – from shy to outgoing, from tense to easygoing – will have the best chance at developing a balanced temperament with:
Excellent nutrition
Logical, predictable rules for living with others
Optimal environments and schedules for sleep
Lots of interactive play with family and friends
Lots and lots of parental love and affection
