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The relations between temperament and empathy in 2-year-olds
S K Young1, N A Fox, C Zahn-Waxler
1Institute for Child Study, University of Maryland, College Park 20742, USA.
Insights
Early childhood temperament, including reactivity and inhibition, influences the development of empathy in toddlers. Unreactive infants and inhibited 2-year-olds showed less empathy, particularly toward unfamiliar individuals.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Temperament is a foundational aspect of personality, influencing social-emotional development.
- Early childhood is a critical period for the emergence of empathy and social understanding.
- Understanding the interplay between temperament and empathy can inform early intervention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive role of infant and toddler temperament on the development of empathy.
- To examine how early temperament dimensions (reactivity, affect, inhibition) relate to empathic responses in toddlers.
- To differentiate the impact of temperament on empathy toward familiar (mother) versus unfamiliar individuals.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study assessing temperament at 4 months and 2 years of age.
- Empathy measured via toddlers' responses to simulated maternal and unfamiliar adult distress.
- Temperament assessment included measures of reactivity, affect, and inhibition.
Main Results:
- Children displayed more concern for maternal distress but were also responsive to unfamiliar victims.
- Infants with low reactivity and affect showed significantly less empathy toward an unfamiliar adult later.
- Toddler inhibition toward unfamiliar adults negatively correlated with empathic responses.
Conclusions:
- Early temperament, particularly low reactivity and affect, can predict lower empathy in toddlers, especially in unfamiliar contexts.
- Inhibition in toddlers may specifically dampen empathic concern for unfamiliar individuals.
- Underarousal as a temperamental dimension may inhibit the expression of empathic concern in young children.
Abstract:
The role of infant and toddler temperament in the prediction of empathy in 2-year-old children was examined. Assessments of temperament included reactivity and affect observed at 4 months of age, as well as inhibition at Age 2. Empathy was measured in 2-year-old children's responses to simulations of distress performed by their mothers and by an unfamiliar person. Children showed relatively more concern for the mother's distress, but they were also responsive to unfamiliar victims. Infants who were unreactive and showed little affect also showed less empathy toward the unfamiliar adult almost 2 years later. Inhibition toward an unfamiliar adult (but not toward the mother) at 2 years of age was negatively related to empathy. Inhibited temperament may thus have a major impact on young children's empathy in unfamiliar contexts. Findings also highlight the need to consider early underarousal as another dimension of temperament that may dampen expressions of empathic concern.