Biological and Behaviorist Perspectives of Temperament
Temperament means biologically based on emotional and behavioural tendencies that are evident in early childhood (Cervone & Pervin, 2019, Para. 427). From a biological and behaviourist perspective, temperament in newborn babies can be classified as easy, difficult or slow to warm up. After birth, other environmental factors, such as family interaction, comes into play. Biologically, there are two categories of temperament; that is, reactivity and self-regulation. Reactivity is the type of response an individual gives to environmental stimuli that is challenging. And self-regulation is the capability to control that response. The biological perspective of temperament is usually present in the type of reaction; in that, some people will react to a particular stimulus with high-level anxiety than other people. Besides, even being raised in the same family pushes children in opposite directions in terms of temperament (Spiegel, 2010, Para. 10). From a personal point of view, I believe that the environment is more influential in shaping and explaining an individual’s temperament.
According to Skinner’s personality theory, when the organism or a person is in the process of carrying various activities around the world, they encounter the reinforcing stimulus (Boeree, 2006, Para. 9). This stimulus tends to foster the occurrence of behaviour just before the reinforcing stimulus. Of course, the action is followed by consequence; however, the nature of the specific result modifies the response in such a way that it is repeated in the future, and this forms temperament. The environmental factors are more influential in shaping and explaining character. Besides, if it was based on biological factors, then the temperament of most biological family members could have been similar; but they are mostly different even for close family. Thus, the environment plays a vital role in influencing temperament.
References
Boeree, C. G. (2006). Temperament theories: B. F. Skinner. Retrieved from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/skinner.html
Cervone, D., & Pervin, L. A. (2019). Temperament: Theory and research (14th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Spiegel, A. (2010, November 22). Siblings share genes, but rarely personalities. National Public Radio. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2010/11/18/131424595/siblings-share-genes-but-rarely-personalities