This article provides a review and synthesis of concepts, research programs, and measures in the infant and child temperament area. First, the authors present an overview of five classical approaches to the study of child temperament that continue to stimulate research today. Subsequently, the authors carve out key definitional criteria for…

Examined longitudinally changes in inhibition from toddler age to age 4 and age 7 years. Found that temperament change in children who tested as inhibited or uninhibited as toddlers was more common than remaining extremely inhibited or uninhibited, but that change was largely limited to intermediate groups. Subgroups distinguished by responses on…

Observed 193 children at 4.5 years who had been classified at 4 months as high or low reactive to stimulation for signs of inhibited or uninhibited behavior. Children classified as high reactive were less spontaneous and less sociable than low-reactive children, but only a small proportion maintained a consistently inhibited or uninhibited…

Examined role of infant and toddler temperament in predicting 2-year olds' empathy. Found that children showed relatively more concern for mother's distress, but were also responsive to unfamiliar victims. Unreacting infants showing little affect also showed less empathy toward the unfamiliar adult almost two years later. Inhibition toward…

Examined toddlers' behavioral inhibition and wariness with peers in novel situations involving unfamiliar settings, adults, and peers. Found little consistency of inhibited behavior across the three situations. Consistently inhibited toddlers had fearful temperaments, showed distress after maternal separation, and had mothers who were warm and…