Temperament

Welcome to the sixth episode of our course on Personality and Individual Differences. In this episode, we'll explore the concept of **Temperament**, the biologically-based, inborn tendencies that shape our emotional and behavioral responses from early in life. Building on our understanding of personality and the Big Five traits, we will delve into the historical roots of temperament, from the ancient Four Humors to modern theories like those of Jerome Kagan and Thomas and Chess. You'll learn how temperament differs from personality, how it's often measured in infancy, and its role as a foundational building block for the personality traits that develop over our lifetime. This episode sets the stage for future discussions on character and personality development.

Check your understanding

These are the same multiple-choice questions you will see in the Quiz section after you listen to the episode. Use them here to preview or review the answers.

Which of the following statements accurately describe the concept of temperament?

  1. It is primarily shaped by cultural values and life experiences.
  2. It refers to the biologically-based, inborn core of individual differences in emotional reactivity.
  3. It is synonymous with an individual's personality in adulthood.
  4. It is considered the foundation upon which personality develops.
  5. It typically emerges in adolescence and solidifies in early adulthood.

The ancient Greek theory of the Four Humors, one of the earliest models of temperament, linked personality styles to what?

  1. The alignment of the stars at birth.
  2. An individual's social class.
  3. The balance of different bodily fluids.
  4. Early childhood learning experiences.
  5. The influence of parental behavior.

According to the New York Longitudinal Study by Thomas and Chess, which of the following were identified as primary temperament types in infants?

  1. The 'easy child'
  2. The 'anxious child'
  3. The 'difficult child'
  4. The 'slow-to-warm-up child'
  5. The 'reactive child'
  6. The 'inhibited child'

Jerome Kagan's research on temperament focused on the dimension of reactivity. What did he observe about 'high-reactive' infants?

  1. They were calm and placid when presented with new stimuli.
  2. They showed vigorous motor activity and distress in response to novelty.
  3. They were more likely to develop into sociable, outgoing children.
  4. Their reactions were linked to a higher sensitivity in the amygdala.
  5. They were indistinguishable from 'low-reactive' infants after the first year.

How does temperament relate to the broader concept of personality?

  1. Temperament and personality are two independent constructs with no influence on each other.
  2. Temperament represents the inborn, biological predispositions that serve as a building block for personality.
  3. Personality is fully determined by temperament, with no influence from the environment.
  4. Mary Rothbart's concept of 'effortful control' is an example of a temperamental dimension that influences self-regulation within personality.
  5. Adult personality traits are the final, unchangeable outcome of early temperament.

Suggested next

Related episodes that are a natural follow-on.

  • Personality development

    Welcome to the final episode of our course on Personality and Individual Differences! This session, **Personality Development**, synthesizes everything we've learned. We'll explore the dynamic journey of how your personality forms and evolves through… Welcome to the final episode of our course on Personality and Individual Differences! This session, **Personality Development**, synthesizes everything we've learned. We'll explore the dynamic journey of how your personality forms and evolves throughout your life. We will examine the intricate dance between nature and nurture, linking your innate *temperament* with the *character* you build through experience. You'll learn how the *Big Five* traits can exhibit both stability and change over time, and discover the crucial role your *self-concept* and *self-esteem* play in shaping the person you become. This episode provides a holistic view of personality as a lifelong, developing story.

  • Character (personality)

    Welcome to Episode 7 of Personality and Individual Differences. Building on our understanding of temperament and the Big Five traits, this episode delves into the concept of **character**. We will distinguish character from personality, exploring it … Welcome to Episode 7 of Personality and Individual Differences. Building on our understanding of temperament and the Big Five traits, this episode delves into the concept of **character**. We will distinguish character from personality, exploring it as the ethical and moral dimension of who we are. You will learn about the building blocks of character, such as virtues and values, and how it is shaped through social learning and life experiences rather than being purely innate. We'll examine the relationship between personality traits and character strengths, like how conscientiousness can manifest as integrity. This episode will clarify why character is fundamental to personal growth, trust, and a well-functioning society.

  • Life span development

    Welcome to the final episode of our Developmental Psychology course! This capstone session ties everything together, offering a comprehensive look at *lifespan development*. We will journey from the prenatal stage through infancy, childhood, adolesce… Welcome to the final episode of our Developmental Psychology course! This capstone session ties everything together, offering a comprehensive look at *lifespan development*. We will journey from the prenatal stage through infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and into old age, exploring the continuous and cumulative nature of human growth. Building on our previous discussions of attachment, identity, moral reasoning, and aging, this episode will highlight how these processes interact and unfold across the entire human life. You'll gain a holistic 'womb-to-tomb' perspective, understanding development not as isolated stages, but as an integrated, lifelong journey of biological, psychological, and social change.

  • Identity development

    Welcome to the sixth episode of our Developmental Psychology course. This session delves into the crucial process of **Identity Development**. We will explore the fundamental question, 'Who am I?', and examine how we construct our sense of self throu… Welcome to the sixth episode of our Developmental Psychology course. This session delves into the crucial process of **Identity Development**. We will explore the fundamental question, 'Who am I?', and examine how we construct our sense of self throughout our lives. Building on our previous discussions of adolescence and adulthood, we will focus on two cornerstone theories: Erik Erikson's psychosocial stage of 'Identity vs. Role Confusion' and James Marcia's four identity statuses. By the end of this episode, you will understand the key processes of exploration and commitment that shape our personal, social, and professional identities, recognizing it as a dynamic journey that continues well beyond our teenage years.

  • Adult development

    Welcome to the third episode in our Developmental Psychology series. Building on our understanding of child development and adolescence, we now step into the long and dynamic period of adult development. This episode explores the key transitions and … Welcome to the third episode in our Developmental Psychology series. Building on our understanding of child development and adolescence, we now step into the long and dynamic period of adult development. This episode explores the key transitions and challenges from early to middle adulthood. We'll examine how young adults navigate forming intimate relationships and establishing careers, and how middle-aged adults focus on contributing to the next generation. You will learn about important psychological theories, such as Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, and concepts like postformal thought, crystallized versus fluid intelligence, and the 'sandwich generation.' This episode provides a framework for understanding the continuous journey of growth and change that defines the adult years.

Often studied before

Episodes that tend to come earlier on similar paths.

  • Humanistic psychology

    Welcome to the seventh episode of our Introduction to Psychology course. In this session, we explore Humanistic Psychology, often called the 'third force' in psychology. This perspective emerged as a response to the perceived limitations of Psychoana… Welcome to the seventh episode of our Introduction to Psychology course. In this session, we explore Humanistic Psychology, often called the 'third force' in psychology. This perspective emerged as a response to the perceived limitations of Psychoanalysis and Behaviorism, shifting the focus from unconscious drives and observable behaviors to the whole person and their potential for growth. We will delve into the core principles of humanism, such as free will, self-actualization, and the innate goodness of people. You will learn about the foundational ideas of key figures like Abraham Maslow, with his famous Hierarchy of Needs, and Carl Rogers, the pioneer of person-centered therapy. This episode will provide a crucial understanding of how psychology began to embrace the positive aspects of human experience and personal fulfillment.

  • Big Five personality traits

    Welcome to Episode 3 of Personality and Individual Differences. Building on our introduction to personality, this episode explores the most widely accepted framework for understanding its structure: the Big Five personality traits. You will learn abo… Welcome to Episode 3 of Personality and Individual Differences. Building on our introduction to personality, this episode explores the most widely accepted framework for understanding its structure: the Big Five personality traits. You will learn about the five core dimensions—Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN)—that describe the building blocks of who we are. We'll delve into what it means to score high or low on each trait, providing a clear map of the human personality landscape. By the end, you'll have a foundational understanding of this influential model, which is central to modern personality psychology and helps explain why people think, feel, and behave as they do.

  • Personality

    Welcome to the first episode on Personality and Individual Differences! This episode introduces the fundamental concept of personality. We will explore what makes you uniquely 'you' by defining personality as a stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, a… Welcome to the first episode on Personality and Individual Differences! This episode introduces the fundamental concept of personality. We will explore what makes you uniquely 'you' by defining personality as a stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. We'll take a journey back in time to examine early historical theories, such as the four humors, to understand our long-standing fascination with human nature. You will also learn the crucial difference between enduring personality *traits* and temporary emotional *states*, and consider the classic debate on whether our actions are shaped more by our personality or the situations we find ourselves in. This foundational knowledge will set the stage for our deeper dive into modern personality psychology in future episodes.

  • Personality assessment

    Welcome to the fourth episode of Personality and Individual Differences. Building on our understanding of what personality is and the Big Five framework, we now explore the fascinating world of Personality Assessment. This episode will delve into the… Welcome to the fourth episode of Personality and Individual Differences. Building on our understanding of what personality is and the Big Five framework, we now explore the fascinating world of Personality Assessment. This episode will delve into the various methods psychologists use to measure and understand personality. We will examine the logic, strengths, and weaknesses of two major approaches: objective self-report inventories and subjective projective tests. You will learn about famous examples like the MMPI and the Rorschach Inkblot Test, and discover why concepts like reliability and validity are crucial for any psychological measurement. This episode provides the essential tools for critically evaluating how we attempt to quantify the complexities of the human psyche.

  • Cognitive development

    Welcome to the final episode of our course on Cognitive Psychology and Learning. In this capstone session, we explore Cognitive Development, the fascinating journey of how our thinking processes evolve from infancy to adulthood. We will integrate man… Welcome to the final episode of our course on Cognitive Psychology and Learning. In this capstone session, we explore Cognitive Development, the fascinating journey of how our thinking processes evolve from infancy to adulthood. We will integrate many of the topics we've covered—from memory and perception to problem-solving and language—to understand this transformation. This episode examines the foundational theories of Jean Piaget, who proposed distinct stages of cognitive growth, and Lev Vygotsky, who emphasized the crucial role of social interaction and culture. By charting the development of our minds, we gain a complete picture of how we become the complex, thinking beings we are. Prepare to connect all the dots and see how human cognition unfolds across the lifespan.