The Biology of Temperament: An Integrative Approach

Abstract

Temperament refers to a style or pattern of behavior that characterizes young infants’ ongoing interaction with the world. Individual differences in this behavioral style are thought to reflect biologically based dispositions (Goldsmith et al., 1987). The precise nature of these biological differences has, however, only recently been investigated. In part, current research on the biological bases of temperament stems from an articulation of models of individual differences that emphasize the role of the nervous system in the expression of behavioral styles (Kagan, 1994; Rothbart and Derryberry, 1981). This work reflects a developing synthesis of research in the neurosciences and developmental psychology toward an understanding of the biology of behavior. This chapter provides the reader with a view of the different models of temperament that have guided the field of developmental research. We present our own conceptualization of infant temperament, one that focuses on the concepts of reactivity and regulation but emphasizes as well the overlay of emotional valence in the expression of individual differences in reactivity. The final section of this chapter presents a brief review of the work on behavioral inhibition as an example of the new synthesis of biological and behavioral research toward an understanding of individual differences in temperament.