Temperament Stable or Changing Discussion

Your textbook offers Rothbart’s dimensions of parenting in Table 3.1 (Chapter 3, p. 116). You can also find an online assessment of temperament based on the work Chess & ThomasLinks to an external site., which assesses these traits that make up a person’s temperament:

Activity level (physical energy)

Distractability (tendency to get distracted by events in environment)

Intensity (energy level of a positive or negative response)

1. Need for physical routine (predictability in biological functions)
2. Sensory sensitivity (reaction to sensory changes in environment)
3. Initial reaction (approach/withdrawal to a situation)
4. Adaptability (how long it takes to adjust to a new situation)
5. Persistence (attention span)
6. Usual mood (general tendency toward happy or unhappy demeanor)
7. Do you think your temperament has remained “stable” throughout your life (suggesting genetic influences)? Or do you think your temperament has changed from the time you were small (suggesting environmental influences)? Offer your explanation of how and why your basic temperament has changed…or has remained stable.