1. Individual Differences in Emotion and Emotion Regulation
Lecture Outline
Emotion Regulation
Definition
Normative Development
Individual Differences in Emotion and Emotion Regulation
Temperament
Temperament Dimensions
Measurement of Temperament
Temperament and Later Adjustment

2. Emotion Regulation

3. Normative Development of ER Role of Caregivers
Parents help infants and young children regulate negative emotions
Over time, infants and young children gradually become better able to regulate emotions independently

4. Use of cognitive strategies to regulate negative emotions increases with age
Ex: mental distraction; focus on positive aspects of a situation
Use of more effective/appropriate strategies to regulate emotions increases with age

5. Individual Differences in Emotion and ER
Temperament: Biologically based individual differences in emotional characteristics and other behaviors
Show consistency across situations
Relatively stable over time

6. Temperament Dimensions:
Fearful distress/Behavioral Inhibition
Irritable distress
Attention span/persistence
Activity level
Positive affect

7. Measurement of Temperament
Parent report
Structured Observation
Psychophysiological Methods

8. Temperament and Later Adjustment “Difficult” temperament may include:
High irritable distress or fearful distress
Low attention span/persistence
High activity level
Low positive affect

9. Difficult temperament in infancy/preschool period is correlated with adjustment problems later in life (adolescence, adulthood)

10. Goodness-of-Fit
Degree to which a child’s temperament is compatible with the expectations of the social environment (including the family environment)
Poor goodness-of-fit likely to result in adjustment problems for children