Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 3: Problem 19

Describe individual differences that distinguish an infant's personality and the roles that temperament and gender play.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Individual differences in infant personality can be distinguished by variations in their activity level, emotional responsiveness, attention span, and other behavioral characteristics. Temperament plays a role in shaping these aspects due to its innate origin and its influence on an infant's interaction with their environment. Gender can also contribute to these differences, potentially shaping interaction styles, interests, and emotional expressions. However, it's essential to note that these aspects interact and can be modified over time as the child grows and experiences different situations.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Individual Differences in Infants

Individual differences in infants can be expressed in various aspects like activity level, emotional reactivity, attention span, and other behavioral traits. These are usually noticeable early on as infants interact with their environment and the people around them.
02

Explain the Role of Temperament in Infant Personality

Temperament refers to individual differences in behavioral style, usually apparent in early life. It is largely innate and can be identified by patterns of emotion, attention, and behavior. It shapes an infant’s approach to their environment and vice versa, thereby influencing their personality development.
03

Discuss the Role of Gender in Infant Personality

Gender can also play a role in an infant’s personality. Even though many gender-related behaviors might be driven by cultural and social expectations, some research suggests that boys and girls may have different predispositions right from infancy, impacting their interaction styles, interests, and emotional expressions.
04

Conclusion

In conclusion, an infant's personality is shaped by a range of factors including their individual differences, temperament, and gender which interact with each other and the child’s surroundings. This forms unique personality characteristics in each infant, which can continue to be influenced and modified by their experiences as they grow.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Summarize the role of nutrition in the physical development of infants, including the benefits of breastfeeding. Adequate nutrition is essential for physical development. Malnutrition and undernutrition affect physical aspects of growth and may also affect IQ and school performance. Breastfeeding has distinct advantages over bottle-feeding, including the nutritional completeness of breast milk, its provision of a degree of immunity to certain childhood diseases, and its easy digestibility. In addition, breastfeeding offers significant physical and emotional benefits to both child and mother.

Identify the milestones of gross motor and fine motor skill development in infancy. The development of gross and fine motor skills proceeds along a generally consistent timetable in normal children, with substantial individual and cultural variations. In the 1st year, advances in gross motor skills allow children to roll over, sit upright without support, stand while holding onto something, and then stand alone. A child who grasps an object with thumb and finger at 8 months may hold a crayon adaptively at 11 months, and imitate strokes on paper by the age of 2

Describe how the nervous system and brain develop in the first 2 years of life, and explain how the environment affects such development. The nervous system contains a huge number of neurons, more than will be needed as an adult. "Extra" connections and neurons that are not used are eliminated as an infant develops. Brain development, largely predetermined genetically, also contains a strong element of plasticity-a susceptibility to environmental influences. Many aspects of development occur during sensitive periods when the organism is particularly susceptible to environmental influences.

Explain how the reflexes that infants are born with both protect them and help them adapt to their surroundings. Reflexes are unlearned, automatic responses to stimuli that help newborns survive and protect themselves. Some reflexes also have value as the foundation for future, more conscious behaviors.

Describe how information-processing approaches explain cognitive development in infants, and summarize the memory capabilities of infants in the first 2 years of life.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Psychology Textbooks

Cognitive Psychology

Read Explanation

Gender

Read Explanation

Cognition

Read Explanation

Addiction

Read Explanation

Psychological Treatment

Read Explanation

Schizophrenia

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free