Knowra Temperament Temperament Temperament consists of early-appearing differences in emotional reactivity and self-regulation, shaped by both biological predispositions and experience.
Emotional reactivity : The speed, intensity, and duration of a person’s emotional responses to events. Temperament includes stable individual differences in how strongly and quickly emotions arise.
Gene–environment interaction : A process in which genetic differences influence responses to environments, or environmental effects vary by genotype. The same setting can affect children differently depending on temperamental predispositions.
Alexander Thomas : An American psychiatrist whose research helped establish the study of childhood temperament. His longitudinal work shaped the modern developmental account of temperament.
Goodness-of-fit model : A developmental model in which outcomes depend partly on the match between a person's traits and environmental demands. It contrasts with views that treat a child's temperament alone as determining adaptation.
Self-regulation : The processes that guide, monitor, and adjust thoughts, emotions, and behavior toward goals. Temperament includes early differences in managing impulses, attention, and emotional responses.
Heritability : A population statistic estimating how much variation in a trait is associated with genetic differences in a specific environment. Temperament shows genetic influence, but heritability does not make an individual trait fixed.
Stella Chess : An American child psychiatrist known for research on temperament and child development. She collaborated with Thomas on influential studies of children's temperamental patterns.
Behavioral genetics : The study of how genetic and environmental differences contribute to variation in behavior and psychological traits. It provides methods for separating genetic influence from environmental influence on temperament.
Behavioral inhibition : A tendency to respond to unfamiliar people or situations with wariness, withdrawal, or restraint. It is a well-studied temperamental pattern involving cautious reactions to novelty.
Goodness of fit : The degree to which environmental demands and support match a person's characteristics and needs. A supportive match between caregiving and a child's temperament can ease adaptation.
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