Purpose: To observe the temperament of children when they are placed in a fearful or overstimulating environment.
Assignment: You may either visit a setting in which infants and toddlers are likely to come into contact with an unusual sight or event, or find a youtube video where children are placed in an unusual event. Events include a store, restaurant, or sporting event with a costumed mascot roaming around, or a child-friendly restaurant that has costumed servers or entertainers (e.g., Chuck E Cheese). Parades with clowns would also be a good setting for this activity, as would a Santa Claus in a shopping mall. A child care center or preschool that is hosting a visit by a clown or a flamboyantly dressed storyteller or musician might also work. Once you have found a suitable setting, observe a number of children as they notice or come close to the novel mascot/clown/storyteller/Santa figure.
Discussion Post: Examine the following for your post:
How much variation is there in their emotional responses? Are reactions different for infants versus toddlers or older children? How so?
Based on your observations and incorporating information from this topics readings, would you guess that any of the infants or children might be inhibited versus uninhibited to novelty?
Are there any other signs of temperamental differences based on Thomas and Chess three classifications that you noticed in your observations?
How do the adults who are present – whether they are parents or caregivers – respond to differences among the children in their emotional reactions? Based on these observations, how might we utilize a “goodness of fit” framework around infant and child inhibition?
