Temperament: Individual Differences at the Interface of Biology and Behavior - John E. Bates...

From The Critics

Reviewer: Warren D. Rosen, PhD(Rush University Medical Center)
Description: This book is a new edited volume derived from a conference focusing on the biological underpinnings of temperament, emotionally prompted behavioral patterns. The chapters address overviews of brain-mediated emotional reactions, theories of relationships between biological processes and characteristics of temperament, specific experimental data focused on segments of these relationships, and implications for and applications of these findings and theories for further research and clinical work.
Purpose: As past research has focused on specific dimensions of temperament and the experimental derivations of these dimensions, the book's purpose is to elaborate on the heretofore less explored nature of neurobiological mediation of basic temperament characteristics. The field of neurosciences has examined brain-emotion relationships for several years, and the focus of this book is a logical and important next step. The editors and authors have met this objective well.
Audience: The book is targeted specifically to child psychologists and will be most beneficial for developmental neuropsychologists, neuroscientists, and neuropsychiatrists as well. The most active and astute researchers in the field contributed to the volume or are cited.
Features: The tables are pertinent and well constructed and relate mostly to connections among neural systems and between emotional/behavioral patterns and neural systems. These visual displays foster integrated understanding of the points made in the narrative and allow easy comparisons among the researchers' theories. The references are complete and up-to-date.
Assessment: This is a very informative book covering a specific line of current inquiry, but with usefulness for a wide group of advanced students and professionals in the field.

Warren D. Rosen

This book is a new edited volume derived from a conference focusing on the biological underpinnings of temperament, emotionally prompted behavioral patterns. The chapters address overviews of brain-mediated emotional reactions, theories of relationships between biological processes and characteristics of temperament, specific experimental data focused on segments of these relationships, and implications for and applications of these findings and theories for further research and clinical work. As past research has focused on specific dimensions of temperament and the experimental derivations of these dimensions, the book's purpose is to elaborate on the heretofore less explored nature of neurobiological mediation of basic temperament characteristics. The field of neurosciences has examined brain-emotion relationships for several years, and the focus of this book is a logical and important next step. The editors and authors have met this objective well. The book is targeted specifically to child psychologists and will be most beneficial for developmental neuropsychologists, neuroscientists, and neuropsychiatrists as well. The most active and astute researchers in the field contributed to the volume or are cited. The tables are pertinent and well constructed and relate mostly to connections among neural systems and between emotional/behavioral patterns and neural systems. These visual displays foster integrated understanding of the points made in the narrative and allow easy comparisons among the researchers' theories. The references are complete and up-to-date. This is a very informative book covering a specific line of current inquiry, but with usefulness for a wide group of advancedstudents and professionals in the field.

Booknews

Establishing a bridge between behaviorally oriented and biologically oriented researchers, contributions discuss basic biological and theoretical perspectives of temperament; individual adaptation and differences, including impulsive unsocialized sensation seeking; and implications of biological models of temperament. Complex neurological processes are described in a comprehensible way, making the volume useful for a broad audience of mental health professionals. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

4 Stars! from Doody