PSY 3303 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Frontal Lobe, Amygdala, Immanuel Kant
28 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Temperament: biologically based individual differences in emotional and motivational tendencies that are evident early in life. Temperament reflects the existence of early-life biological variations in humans. Specifically, variations in the tendency to experience positive or negative moods, to become aroused in response to stimuli, or to calm oneself down after becoming upset. In ancient greece, hippocrates posited that variations in psychological characteristics reflect variations in bodily fluids. The greeks" beliefs reflect how they conceptualized the universe and they analyzed temperament through a similar scheme (e. g. , air, earth, fire, and water). Darwin"s work foreshadowed temperament because he analyzed emotional expression in humans and in other animals. Mendel"s work on pea plants was the foundation for modern genetics. 20th century: pavlov and individual differences in reflexes pointing to differences in nervous system functioning. Functioning based on strength to maintain normal during times of high stress. If traits are biologically based, then they should appear in childhood/infancy and endure into older adulthood.
