Personality can be defined as the combination of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors which are unique to each individual. There are various views on personality development, and this article provides a summary of each view. Generally, the development of personality in a toddler begins with a growing awareness that they exist, and that they are a distinct individual. This is known as the emergence of self-awareness.
Self-Awareness in a Toddler
The development of self-awareness in a toddler generally occurs as follows:
- 15 months: some toddlers are able to recognize themselves in a mirror
- 18 months: can tell themselves apart from toddlers of the opposite sex and older children, but are less able to distinguish themselves from other toddlers of the same age and sex
- 18-24 months: clear evidence of self recognition
Temperament and Personality Development
Research by Chess & Thomas describes three types of early temperament:
- Easy temperament: typically content, happy, open, and adaptable to new experiences
- Difficult temperament: active, irritable and irregular in their habits, slow to adapt to new people and experiences
- Slow-to-warm-up temperament: relatively inactive, moody, only moderately regular in their daily schedules, slow to adapt to new people and experiences
Most toddlers have a distinct temperament by the age of 24 months. Early temperament does not necessarily determine future personality. However, the goodness-of-fit between the temperament of a toddler and his social environment can determine future personality.
For example, a mother high in empathy is able to refrain from using threats and physical force when dealing with a difficult temperament child. This allows the child to learn to master his negative emotions, therefore contributing to his shaping personality.
Personality Traits in Toddlers
Personality traits are the unique dispositions of a toddler, for example, his level of sociability, independence, dominance, or anxiety. Traits are relatively consistent across different situations and over time, and are thought to be relatively permanent qualities built inside the individual. This view of personality development is known as the dispositional perspective.
Biological Basis of Personality
The biological view of personality development is genetically based, meaning that the disposition of your toddler is inherited. This view also focuses on how the nervous system and hormones within the toddler influence who they become.
Internal Conflicts of Toddlers
Another view is that personality is a set of internal forces that compete and conflict with another. This theory is known as the psychoanalytic perspective and was formulated by Sigmund Freud. According to this view, early conflicts faced by toddlers will shape and influence their personality.
The conflicts faced during the toddler years are:
- Up to 18 months: known as the oral stage, learning to become less reliant on their mother, and being weaned from the bottle or breast. This stage is thought to influence oral based personality traits, such as gullibility, verbal aggression, and sarcasm.
- 18-36 months: known as the anal stage and involves toilet training. For example, toddlers who are praised during this period may develop tendencies of productivity and creativity. Toddlers who are punished for failures may develop a more rigid and obsessive type of personality.
The Influence of Learning on Toddler Personality Development
This view is that behavior will change and develop as a result of the toddler's experience. That is, the child's personality is shaped by the learning experiences he has had, and will have, in the future.
Cognitive Processes and Personality Development in a Toddler
Another view is that cognitive processes are the basis of personality development. Cognitive processes involve the toddler's nervous system, and the set of decision rules that are shaped by his brain, for example, the toddler's brain uses information in organized, patterned ways. According to this view, these patterns are thought to be a basis of his personality.
The Development of Your Toddler's Personality
This article is for informational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your child’s development, please consult your doctor or early childhood nurse.
For information on other toddler developmental areas refer to Toddler Development and Milestones.
Sources:
Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider. Life-Span Human Development. California: Wadsworth, 2003.
C. S. Carver and M. F. Scheier. Perspectives on Personality. Boston: Pearson Education, 2004.
S. Chess and A. Thomas. Goodness of fit: Clinical applications from infancy through adult life. Ann Arbor, MI: Edwards Brothers, 1999.
Christine Gillies - Christine Gillies is a freelance writer based in Sydney, Australia. She holds a Bachelor Degree of Science (Psychology) as well as a ...
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