Cross-cultural Temperamental Differences in Infants, Children, and Adults in the United States of America and Finland

Overview

Journal Scand J Psychol

Specialty Psychology

Date 2012 Mar 21

PMID 22428997

Citations 13

Authors

Larissa M Gaias

Katri Raikkonen

Niina Komsi

Maria A Gartstein

Philip A Fisher

Samuel P Putnam

Affiliations

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Abstract

Cross-cultural differences in temperament were investigated between infants (n = 131, 84 Finns), children (n = 653, 427 Finns), and adults (n = 759, 538 Finns) from the United States of America and Finland. Participants from both cultures completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire, Childhood Behavior Questionnaire and the Adult Temperament Questionnaire. Across all ages, Americans received higher ratings on temperamental fearfulness than Finnish individuals, and also demonstrated higher levels of other negative affects at several time points. During infancy and adulthood, Finns tended to score higher on positive affect and elements of temperamental effortful control. Gender differences consistent with prior studies emerged cross-culturally, and were found to be more pronounced in the US during childhood and in Finland during adulthood.

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