Trait vs. Temperament — What's the Difference?

Behavior feature defining personality.

Innate emotional disposition.

A distinguishing feature.

General reactivity to stimuli.

Specific characteristic or quality.

Stable mood or tone.

Inherited characteristic.

Overall disposition or emotional style.

Measurable aspect of personality.

Influence on behavior patterns.

A distinguishing quality or characteristic, typically one belonging to a person

In psychology, temperament broadly refers to consistent individual differences in behavior that are biologically based and are relatively independent of learning, system of values and attitudes. Some researchers point to association of temperament with formal dynamical features of behavior, such as energetic aspects, plasticity, sensitivity to specific reinforcers and emotionality.

A distinguishing feature, as of a person's character.

A person's or animal's nature, especially as it permanently affects their behaviour

A morphological, physiological, or behavioral feature of an organism.

The adjustment of intervals in tuning a piano or other musical instrument so as to fit the scale for use in different keys; in equal temperament, the octave consists of twelve equal semitones

(Archaic) A short line or mark made with a writing or drawing implement.

The manner of thinking, behaving, or reacting characteristic of a specific person

An identifying characteristic, habit or trend.

The distinguishing mental and physical characteristics of a human according to medieval physiology, resulting from dominance of one of the four humors.

(object-oriented) An uninstantiable collection of methods that provides functionality to a class by using the class’s own interface.

Excessive irritability or sensitiveness

A stroke; a touch.

(Music) See equal temperament.

A distinguishing or marked feature; a peculiarity; as, a trait of character.

A person's usual manner of thinking, behaving or reacting.

A distinguishing feature of your personal nature

A tendency to become irritable or angry.

(music) The altering of certain intervals from their correct values in order to improve the moving from key to key.

(psychology) Individual differences in behavior that are biologically based and are relatively independent of learning, system of values and attitudes.

(obsolete) A moderate and proportionable mixture of elements or ingredients in a compound; the condition in which elements are mixed in their proper proportions.

(obsolete) Any state or condition as determined by the proportion of its ingredients or the manner in which they are mixed; consistence, composition; mixture.

Internal constitution; state with respect to the relative proportion of different qualities, or constituent parts.

Due mixture of qualities; a condition brought about by mutual compromises or concessions.

The act of tempering or modifying; adjustment, as of clashing rules, interests, passions, or the like; also, the means by which such adjustment is effected.

Condition with regard to heat or cold; temperature.

A system of compromises in the tuning of organs, pianofortes, and the like, whereby the tones generated with the vibrations of a ground tone are mutually modified and in part canceled, until their number reduced to the actual practicable scale of twelve tones to the octave. This scale, although in so far artificial, is yet closely suggestive of its origin in nature, and this system of tuning, although not mathematically true, yet satisfies the ear, while it has the convenience that the same twelve fixed tones answer for every key or scale, C$ becoming identical with D$, and so on.

The peculiar physical and mental character of an individual, in olden times erroneously supposed to be due to individual variation in the relations and proportions of the constituent parts of the body, especially of the fluids, as the bile, blood, lymph, etc. Hence the phrases, bilious or choleric temperament, sanguine temperament, etc., implying a predominance of one of these fluids and a corresponding influence on the temperament.

Your usual mood;

Excessive emotionalism or irritability and excitability (especially when displayed openly)

An adjustment of the intervals (as in tuning a keyboard instrument) so that the scale can be used to play in different keys

Yes, traits can have genetic influences, though they are often shaped by the environment.

It is relatively stable and can often be seen in infancy but may be shaped by experiences.

Not exactly. Temperament is the foundational emotional disposition, while personality includes traits built on this foundation.

Yes, traits can interact, like high creativity influencing a trait like openness.

Yes, individuals may gravitate toward careers that suit their emotional disposition.

Traits can change, especially with significant life experiences or deliberate self-improvement.

No, some traits, like aggression, may be seen as negative in certain contexts.

Yes, temperament can be assessed through observations or questionnaires, especially in early childhood.

Frameworks like the Big Five and Myers-Briggs measure distinct personality traits.

Temperament shapes how individuals react emotionally, affecting communication and compatibility.

Yes, traits like being ambitious yet cautious can coexist in the same person.

Yes, traits are specific characteristics, while temperament is a broader emotional tone.

Yes, newborns often exhibit different temperamental responses to stimuli.

Some traits may be internal or situational, making them less noticeable in everyday interactions.

Changing a single trait may not significantly impact temperament, which is broader.