Course Glossary

Infancy and Childhood

Three people with three different temperaments

Research has revealed that every person is born with a particular temperament or emotional reactivity to the environment. Our temperaments are fairly stable, meaning that our neurological wiring, which determines our emotional reactivity, does not change. For this assignment, you will complete three steps. First, your parent or guardian should complete Survey A. Next, you should complete Survey B. Finally, you should compare results of both surveys. The goal is to determine whether the survey is a valid way to identify your temperament.

Before you begin, review the Temperament Survey Checklist to help you complete your assignment and understand how your work will be graded.

Temperament Survey A: Parent or Guardian

The first part of determining your temperament involves enlisting the help of someone who raised you, or recalls what you were like as a young child. Have at least one person who meets this qualification complete Survey A.

View the survey below, and use the printable version to provide a copy to your chosen parent or guardian to complete.

Temperament Survey A: Parent or Guardian
Check off the behaviors that were generally or often true of your child:

Category 1
_____
Displayed frequent temper tantrums.
_____
Displayed intense emotions (positive or negative).
_____
Inflexible with regard to food or schedule changes.
_____
Cried more than other infants or toddlers.
_____
Displayed irregular and unpredictable body functions (sleeping or bowel patterns).

Category 2
_____
Tended to withdraw when greeted by unfamiliar people.
_____
Had difficulty adapting to change.
_____
Tended to slowly warm up to strangers.
_____
Had a medium mood/was neither unpleasant nor predominantly cheerful.
_____
Often reacted negatively to new situations or people.

Category 3
_____
Generally displayed a pleasant, cheerful mood.
_____
Did not mind being held by strangers.
_____
Established regular and predictable sleeping and elimination patterns.
_____
Smiled or laughed often.
_____
Was flexible to changes.

After your parent or guardian completes Survey A, determine which category received the most check marks. Below is the answer key for how the categories correlate with your temperament as an infant and toddler:

  • Category A: Difficult temperament
  • Category B: Slow-to-warm-up temperament
  • Category C: Easy temperament

Temperament Survey B: Student

Complete the next survey by checking off traits you currently exhibit most days. View the survey below or a copy of the printable version.

Temperament Survey B: Student
Check off the behaviors that are generally true of you today:

Category 1
_____
Often feel frustrated.
_____
Have a quick temper.
_____
Get emotionally upset easily.

Category 2
_____
Are easily frightened.
_____
Tend to worry.
_____
Dislike change.

Category 3
_____
Do not anger easily.
_____
Like to be with people.
_____
Have a generally positive, cheerful mood.

After you complete Survey B, determine which category received the most check marks. Below is the answer key for how the categories correlate with your current temperament:

  • Category A: Difficult temperament
  • Category B: Slow-to-warm-up temperament
  • Category C: Easy temperament

Survey Analysis

Answer the each of the following questions based on what you notice about Survey A and Survey B:

  • Did the resulting temperament in Survey A match the resulting temperament in Survey B?
  • If your temperament matched in both surveys, what do you understand better about yourself as a result?
  • If your temperament did not match in both surveys, why do you think the results differed? Explain.

 

AssignmentOnce you have completed all three steps of the Temperament Survey assessment, please submit your work to the dropbox.