Advancing Research in Emotional Development and Self-Regulation

Our Psychology Research Program explores how core temperament traits related to emotional reactivity and regulation develop over time and contribute to personality formation.

We focus on three key dimensions of temperament: behavioral inhibition, approach-related positive affect (exuberance), and effortful control. Our research examines both the stability and plasticity of these traits, as well as the developmental processes through which they are integrated into broader personality characteristics associated with self-regulation.

A central goal of our Research is to identify the mechanisms by which individual differences in these temperament traits are translated into real-world competencies. In particular, we investigate how these differences shape children’s ability to regulate the self in social interactions, maintain self-control in academic settings, and manage everyday behaviors—including financial decision-making and daily life routines.

Through this work, our Faculty aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how early emotional and regulatory processes form the foundation of adaptive personality development across the lifespan.