Temperament

Temperament refers to a person’s natural tendencies in how they react emotionally and behave, especially in response to different situations.

Example

Imagine two children hear a loud noise.

Child A becomes frightened and starts crying.

Child B remains calm and continues playing.

Their different reactions may reflect differences in temperament.

Alexander Thomas and Stella Chess: Identified individual differences in children’s temperament, including activity level, adaptability, and emotional responses.

Key idea: Temperament has a biological basis, but experience and environment also influence how a person’s behaviour develops.