How do children's temperaments tend to change over time?

Children's temperaments are generally seen as stable traits, meaning that they tend to maintain certain characteristic patterns of behavior and emotional reactivity over time. While individuals may exhibit some degree of change due to various influences such as environment, experiences, and developmental stages, the core elements of temperament—such as being easygoing, difficult, or slow to warm up—typically hold steady as the child grows.

Research in developmental psychology supports the idea that the foundational aspects of temperament established in early childhood can predict later behaviors and personality traits. These traits can be contextualized within family dynamics, peer relationships, and educational settings, which may influence expression but not fundamentally alter temperament itself.

The other options suggest different trajectories for temperament development that do not align with the prevailing understanding in child development theory. For instance, while temperamental styles can show variation due to contextual factors, the notion that they become more variable or shift dramatically with age contradicts empirical findings. Additionally, the idea that children always become more positive overlooks the complexities and diversity of temperament and emotional development across different contexts and individual experiences.