The Enduring Power of Innate Temperament

At the very heart of every person lies an incredible force that shapes one’s temperament, a force that begins developing in early childhood. Even at the start of life, newborns exhibit several types of temperament, indicating their deep, inborn nature. These fundamental traits, determined by genetics, become engraved in the personality and remain unchanged despite external influences. Moreover, the uniqueness of temperament lies in its emotional intensity—a child experiences feelings more vividly, which makes the temperament especially noticeable and “alive.” This emotional intensity not only gives a person’s character dynamism but also influences their behavior throughout life. Ultimately, the true strength of temperament is found in its steadfastness: from genetic inheritance to profound emotional perception, all these factors combine to create a unique and powerful element that should be cherished and understood, as it forms the foundation of our individuality.

What factors determine that temperament can be so vivid that it is hard to change or restrain?

The answer is based on the fact that the brightness and stability of temperament are dictated by its intrinsic nature and its deep-rooted presence in a person’s character. As noted in one source, “Psychologists Chess and Thomas have convincingly shown that... temperaments are deeply embedded in the personality, are difficult to alter, and can accompany an individual throughout life” (source: link ). Here, an important factor is that newborns are identified with several (in this case—nine) types of temperament, which establish the child’s individual characteristics long before external circumstances can influence them.

Furthermore, an influencing factor is the degree of emotional reactivity. For example, one source mentions that “the child is aroused; he feels more intensely than we do, and expresses his emotions more strongly...” (source: link , page: 18). A high level of emotional excitability makes the temperament particularly vivid and simultaneously complicates its moderation. In other words, due to the innate predisposition toward experiencing emotions intensely, temperament proves to be unchangeable, as even in a favorable environment its basic traits remain the same or are only slightly modified.

Thus, the factors determining the “vividness” of temperament are:
1. Its innate, genetically determined nature, where certain types of temperament form at an early stage of life.
2. The deep-rooted nature of these traits within the personality, rendering them stable throughout a lifetime.
3. The high degree of emotional excitability, which complicates efforts to modify or restrain the temperament.

Supporting citation(s):
“Psychologists Chess and Thomas have convincingly demonstrated that the way a child develops is determined not only by the home environment but also by his own personal characteristics. ... temperaments are deeply embedded in the personality, are difficult to rework, and can accompany an individual throughout their life” (source: link ).

“Character and temperament determine a child’s activities; ... The child is aroused; he feels more intensely than we do, and expresses his emotions more strongly...” (source: link , page: 18).