Evaluation of Children Temperaments: Exuberance and Behavioral Inhibition

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Summary
The authors argue that their primary argument in the paper is the constraining influence of temperament on personality development. The relationship implies that children exhibiting certain temperaments are predisposed to acquire certain personality traits. The research relies on two case studies in which one depicted an exuberant child while the other was a behaviorally inhibited youngster. Deductively, the evaluated temperaments are exuberance and behavioral inhibition (BI). On the one hand, exuberance depicts high approachability and the desire for interactions (Bus et al., 2018). The exuberant child does not exhibit any reluctance in the presence of the toys. The child also does not even seek the mother’s reassurance as anticipated for an average age (Bus et al., 2018). Torrie’s enthusiasm does not diminish when the puppets become switched for a frightening mechanical black spider. Torrie’s immediate instincts are to run and touch the spider. The behaviorally inhibited child, Bobby, demonstrates a reluctance to join the puppets even after an introduction and a direct invitation. While one would anticipate the average two-year-old to seek the guardian’s approval, Booby does not seek any endorsement as he has seemingly concluded not to join the puppets. Instead of warming up to the engagement, he grows more nervous and fearful, as demonstrated by his muscle tension and facial expression (Bus et al., 2018). Booby’s discomfort culminates in rejecting his mother’s persuasions to join the puppets. He subsequently cried and clang to his mother as she attempted to free him to receive a sticker offered by one of the puppets.
The resource indicates that both children still exhibit their respective temperaments at age five, albeit in different manifestations. The exuberant Torrie’s impulsiveness has diminished as she can bear listening to instructions before entering the experimental rooms. She comfortably and actively holds conversations that will include strangers and suggest topics. Torrie has retained her high predisposition for social interactions and engagements (Bus et al., 2018). The parents and teachers generally rate Torrie as friendly and outgoing, but she is also vulnerable to frustrations in case of eventualities. Bobby’s fearful behavior and avoidance show contrast by being retained, as demonstrated in his interactions with unfamiliar people in the experiment room. In one of the episodes, he is reluctant to speak, avoids eye contact, speaks quietly, and interestingly turns his back on the unfamiliar conversationalist. In another one, he ran away from the experiment room when he was expected to engage an unfamiliar female research assistant wearing a Halloween mask. Bobby’s social anxiety similarly arises among his peers and at school. The two case studies depict that early temperament determines the personality development process (Bus et al., 2018). However, temperate traits do not singularly define personality development. Instead, the temperate traits interact with other internal and external factors to determi...