Study of Temperament, 1987 - 1998

The purpose of this study was to examine human temperament in children from infancy to adolescence, and to determine if early signs of inhibited or uninhibited behavior in infancy determined future temperament profiles. Subjects were recruited from Caucasian, middle-class mothers who followed all of their prenatal guidelines, had uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries, and gave birth to healthy babies. Most of the mothers had college degrees. The infants were first assessed at 4 months of age. All of the evaluations took place in a structured laboratory environment. The infants were followed up at 14 and 21 months, 4.5 years, 7 years, and when the kids were between 10-12 years of age. Variables assessed included reaction to unfamiliar stimuli, spontaneity, ability to socialize, age-appropriate behavior, shyness, fearfulness, and anxiety. Cognitive test, behavioral observations, and maternal questionnaires were used to assess information about the participants. The Murray Center holds videotape (in DVD format) and Audiotape (digital) data for each wave of data collection. Numeric data files were never archived. Audio Data Availability Note: This study contains audio data that have been digitized. There are 291 audio files available.