IB Psychology 1.4 Measurement Questionbank

Thomas, Chess and Birch investigated whether babies differ in temperament from early in life. In the New York Longitudinal Study, they followed a large group of children from infancy. To measure temperament, they interviewed parents in detail about how their babies behaved in everyday situations, such as feeding, sleeping, and meeting new people, and rated each child on dimensions such as activity level, regularity, mood, and adaptability. From these ratings, they described broad temperament types, including 'easy', 'difficult', and 'slow to warm up' children. The researchers reported that these temperamental differences appeared early and showed some consistency as the children grew, and that the 'fit' between a child's temperament and their environment was related to later adjustment. They concluded that temperament can be measured from infancy and that it is a meaningful, partly stable individual difference.

References: Thomas, A., Chess, S. and Birch, H. G., 1968. Temperament and Behavior Disorders in Children. New York: New York University Press. source adapted.