Activity-specific approach in temperament research

Activity-specific approach in temperament research in temperament research is the theory related to a structure of temperament, i.e. how temperament traits can be classified and organized. This approach suggest a separation of the traits related to three aspects of activities: social-verbal, motor-physical and mental aspects, In contrast to that, all other models of a structure of temperament also describe an energetic dimension (for example, traits of Activity or Extraversion) but do not differentiate the traits regulating physical activities from the traits regulating social-verbal or mental activities. Yet, someone who enjoys performing prolonged and/or intense physical work might tire of social conversations very quickly. Likewise, a fast-talking person might not necessarily be able to manipulate objects swiftly or perform rapid mental calculations.

History

This approach was developed within experimental psychophysiology in studies on adults only and therefore was not used in developmental psychology (in studies and practical applications of children’s temperament).

First known expression of this idea was in the work of Dodge,[1] who studied mental fatigue. Dodge suggested that physical and mental efforts are regulated by different nervous processes.

This idea was verbalized again by Vladimir Nebylitsyn,[2] then further developed in differential psychology and psychophysiology experiments from the late 1970s by Rusalov, who was working in Nebylitsyn’s laboratory and inherited this laboratory after a sudden tragic death of Nebylitsyn [3][4][5][6]). Rusalov proposed activity-specific theory of temperament, which was further developed by his graduate student Trofimova in her Compact version of the Structure of Temperament Questionnaire [5][7][8][9]

The idea of the structure of temperament separating the traits related to social-verbal, motor-physical and mental aspects of behavior was incorporated by Trofimova in the neurochemical model Functional Ensemble of Temperament that links the relationships between monoamine neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and hormonal systems to the 12 temperament traits.[10]

Models of temperament within the Activity-specific approach

Rusalov`s model

Vladimir Rusalov, who continued the line in research in the Laboratory of Differential Psychophysiology (Institute of Psychology of Russian Academy of Sciences) started by Nebylitsyn and Teplov, recorded EEGs and measured evoked potential, absolute threshold in visual, auditory, and tactile modalities, strength of excitation and mobility in auditory and visual modalities, problem solving in deterministic and probabilistic conditions, endurance in solving the tasks, and the speed of solving a variety of tests. Rusalov concluded that temperament traits are activity-specific, i.e. traits regulating physical, social-verbal and intellectual aspects of behaviour are based on different neurophysiological systems. He showed that an energetic level or tempo of performance might differ for the same individual when he/she is solving three different types of tasks (physical, verbal [3] or intellectual.[4] Rusalov suggested therefore, that individual differences in these three types of activities should be assessed and analyzed using separate scales.

Rusalov`s activity-specific model of the structure of temperament

Rusalov`s model suggests that the structure of temperament can be presented as 12 traits: 4 aspects of behaviour (ergonicity (endurance), plasticity, tempo and emotionality), which are grouped by three aspects of behavior: motor-physical, social-verbal and intellectual. This model was incorporated in the extended Structure of Temperament Questionnaire. The factor analysis of the data received on Russian, Australian, American, Canadian, Urdu-Canadian, Polish-Canadian and Chinese samples confirmed a separation between the factors related to these three aspects of behavior.[4][5][11][12][13][14]

Trofimova`s model

Trofimova, who was doing her Ph.D. in Rusalov’s lab in early 1990s suggested that the trait of impulsivity reflects the speed of initiation of immature (emotionality-based) behavioral response, whereas Tempo and Plasticity relate to speed of more integrated behavioural response. She suggested therefore that all three traits relate to speed of an integration of an action. Her alternative activity-specific model of temperament included Empathy and Sensation seeking as orientation-related traits and also suggested a re-arrangement of Emotionality traits.[5][7][9] The STQ-77 model is therefore based on Rusalov’s model and also on Luria’s theory related to three neuroanatomic systems (sensory-informational, programming and energetic) regulating human behavior. This model first appeared as an architecture of the Compact version of the Structure of Temperament Questionnaire (STQ-77) in 2007.[5] The factor analysis of the STQ-77 data received on Russian and Canadian samples confirmed a separation between the factors related to motor-physical, social-verbal and mental aspects of behaviour.[5][8]

Subsequently Trofimova reviewed studies in neurophysiology, neurochemistry, clinical psychology and kinesiology and linked functionality of neurotransmitters to the 12 traits of the STQ-77 model in a framework of a neurochemical model Functional Ensemble of Temperament.[10][15]

Trofimova’s model of the structure of temperament (“Functional Ensemble of Temperament")

The differences between Rusalov’s and Trofimova’s models are:

Both models differentiate between physical and verbal-social aspects of well-determined activities (2 middle rows, 6 traits), and consider the traits related to the mental, intellectual aspects of activities (3 top traits of the FET model) as traits regulating behaviour in probabilistic, complex situations. Such differentiation is in line with the neuroanatomic localization of control over motor coordination (via parietal cortex), verbal functions (via left temporal cortex) and mental functions (via frontal cortex).

Comparison to other models of temperament

Previous models of a structure of temperament did not distinguish among the traits regulating behaviour in different areas of activity. They consider, for example, energetic capacities in motor and social activities (extraversion or Strength of the nervous system) as based on a nonspecific general arousal of the nervous system. Many models of temperament and personality follow a so-called "general arousal" approach, considering only one general trait related to the energetic component of behaviour: "strength of excitation" (Pavlov, Jan Strelau) "liveliness", “vigilance” (Cattell), extraversion (Eysenck, Five-Factor model in personality), "activity" (Heymans, Buss & Plomin, 1984; Rothbart, et al, 2000), approach behavioural system (Gray), drive persistence (Telegen, 1985) or just "arousal""(Mehrabian, 1996). However, it appears "obvious" that a person who, for example, exhibits ability for long and intense communication is not necessarily able to sustain long and intense physical or mental work.

Moreover, early temperament models (offered by Pavlov, Eysenck, Gray) were originally developed through animal studies under relatively deterministic conditions using insensitive statistical methods that could not explain individual differences in complex probabilistic human behavior. These models therefore missed the social and mental specifics of human activities. The activity-specific approach suggested that the separate regulation of mental and physical activities within the nervous system should be reflected in a separation of traits related to different aspects of behaviour. This meant that animal models of temperament should be upgraded with the traits related to specifics of human activities.

Yet, here is an overlap of the temperament traits described within the Activity-specific and alternative models of temperament:

Similarly to this approach, other models also described at least three levels of control. For example, Ortony, Norman, and Revelle differentiated between “reactive” (by analogy with Emotionality traits), “routine” (by analogy with “deterministic”, or well-learned traits) and “reflective” (by analogy with “contextual”, or “probabilistic” traits) levels of behavioural regulation.[16]

Critiques and upgrades

The benefits of activity-specific approach of Rusalov's model of temperament do not mean, however, that this model is complete. Several factor analytic studies of the STQ consistently showed that the three Emotionality scales of the STQ (Motor Emotionality, Social Emotionality and Intellectual Emotionality) were not as activity-specific as the Ergonicity (endurance), Plasticity and Tempo scales and basically constituted one factor [4][5][12][13][14][17]

Trofimova suggested that Rusalov’s 12-trait temperament model can be re-worked into another 12-trait temperament model that unifies the former Rusalov’s three traits of Emotionality in one dimension of neuroticism. Moreover, Trofimova pointed out that intellectual activity uses analytic differentiation of contextual information whereas a tempo of activity uses more explicit, readily available and well-defined behavioral elements. For this reason the scale of Intellectual Tempo within Rusalov’s model might reflect a tempo of pre-learned cognitive elements but not an analytic activity. Trofimova suggested that only the scales of only Motor and Social-verbal Tempo (but Intellectual Tempo) should stay in the model whereas a speed of generation of less-defined behavioral integration should be called Plasticity. By the same logics Motor and Social Plasticity represent manipulation of well-defined behavioral elements and these traits describe therefore tempo- and not plasticity-related aspects. For this reason Trofimova suggested to consider only one and not three types of Plasticity and two types of Tempo.[5][7][8][10] Rusalov’s model was also missing the scales of Impulsivity, Self-Confidence, sensation seeking, and empathy – but these scales were added in the STQ-77 and the Functional Ensemble of Temperament model.

Applications

Activity-specific approach in temperament was employed in:

External links

References

  1. Dodge, R (1917). "The laws of relative fatigue.". The Psychological Review. 14: 89–113.
  2. Nebylitsyn, VD (1976). Psycho-physiologicheskie issledovania individual’niy raslichiy [Psycho-physiological studies of individual differences]. Collection of papers in memory of V. Nebylitsyn. Moscow, Russia: Nauka.
  3. 1 2 Rusalov, VM (1989). "Motor and communicative aspects of human temperament: a new questionnaire of the structure of temperament.". Personality and individual differences. 10: 817–827. doi:10.1016/0191-8869(89)90017-2.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Rusalov, VM (1997). Oprosnik formal’no-dynamicheskih svoystv individual’nosti. [Questionnaire of formal-dynamical properties of individual. Manual. Moscow: IPRAN.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rusalov, VM; Trofimova, IN (2007). Structure of Temperament and Its Measurement. Toronto, Canada: Psychological Services Press.
  6. Trofimova (2009) Exploration of the benefits of an activity-specific test of temperament. Psychological Reports, 105, 643-658
  7. 1 2 3 Trofimova, IN (2010). "Questioning the "general arousal" models". Open Behavioral Science and Psychology. 4: 1–8. doi:10.2174/1874230001004010001.
  8. 1 2 3 Trofimova, IN (2010). "An investigation into differences between the structure of temperament and the structure of personality". American Journal of Psychology. 123(4): 467–480. doi:10.5406/amerjpsyc.123.4.0467.
  9. 1 2 Trofimova, IN; Sulis, W (2011). "Is temperament activity-specific? Validation of the Structure of Temperament Questionnaire – Compact (STQ-77)". International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy. 11(3): 389–400.
  10. 1 2 3 Trofimova, IN (2016). "The interlocking between functional aspects of activities and a neurochemical model of adult temperament.". In: Arnold, M.C. (Ed.) Temperaments: Individual Differences, Social and Environmental Influences and Impact on Quality of Life. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.: 77–147.
  11. Trofimova, IN (2010). "Exploration of the activity-specific model of temperament in four languages". International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy. 10/1: 79–95.
  12. 1 2 Dumenci, L. (1996). "Factorial validity of scores on the Structure of Temperament Questionnaire.". Educational and Psychological Measurement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 56: 487–493. doi:10.1177/0013164496056003010.
  13. 1 2 Bishop, D.; et al. (1993). "Structure of Temperament Questionnaire (STQ): Results from a US sample". Personality and Individual Differences. 14: 485–487. doi:10.1016/0191-8869(93)90318-w.
  14. 1 2 Bishop, D.; Hertenstrein, M. (2004). "A confirmatory factor analysis of the Structure of Temperament Questionnaire". Educational and Psychological Measurement. 64: 1019–1029. doi:10.1177/0013164404264843.
  15. Trofimova, IN; Robbins, TW (2016). "Temperament and arousal systems: a new synthesis of differential psychology and functional neurochemistry". Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 64: 382–402. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.008.
  16. Ortony, A.; et al. (2005). "Affect and proto-affect in effective functioning". J. M. Fellous & M. A. Arbib (Eds.) Who needs emotions? The brain meets the machine. New York: Oxford University Press: 95–199.
  17. Dumenci, L. (1995) The relation between the Structure of Temperament Questionnaire and other personality domains. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 55, 850-857. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
  18. Trofimova, IN; Sulis, W (2016). "Benefits of distinguishing between physical and social-verbal aspects of behaviour: an example of generalized anxiety". Frontiers in Psychology. 7: 338. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00338.
  19. Trofimova, IN; Sulis, W (2016). "A study of the coupling of FET temperament traits with major depression.". Frontiers in Psychology.
  20. Trofimova, IN; Christiansen, J. (2016). "Coupling of temperament traits with mental illness in four age groups". Psychological Reports. 118(2): 387–412. doi:10.1177/0033294116639430. PMID 27154370.
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