Genetic and environmental determinants of temperament: a comparative study based on Polish and German samples

This study of 1555 adult mono‐ and dizygotic twins reared together estimates the heritability of temperament traits in a Polish and a German sample. We test whether the etiology of temperament traits differs between the two cultures and between different temperament traits. We assessed temperament traits with the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour–Temperament Inventory (FCB‐TI), the Pavlovian Temperament Survey (PTS), the Revised Dimensions of Temperament Survey (DOTS‐R), and the Emotionality–Activity–Sociability Temperament Survey (EAS‐TS). Taking error of measurement into account, genetic sources of variance explained about 50% of the variance of temperament traits. We found neither reliable cultural differences nor robust differences in the etiology of the traits. However, the four questionnaires differed systematically with respect to the proportion of genetic and environmental influences on their scales. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychometric Properties of the Formal Characteristics of Behavior-Temperament Inventory in Chinese Samples

This paper presents a Chinese adaption of the Formal Characteristics of the Behavior-Temperament Inventory (FCB-TI), a self-report instrument that evaluates six temperamental scales, based on Strelau's concept of temperament. A first sample of 626 undergraduates completed the Chinese version of the Regulative Theory of Temperament Questionnaire (RTTQ), which is an initial pool of 381 items. Internal consistency suggests adequate reliability (.66 to .82), and an exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-factor solution consistent with the original instrument. A follow-up confirmatory factor analysis revealed good support for the temperament structure with a second sample of students (N = 2.980). Internal consistency and factorial structure were re-examined (Cronbach's alpha ranged .64 to .85), and test-retest correlations over a two-week period ranged from .82 to .96 with a third sample of adults (N = 2.265). Convergent and discriminant validity was explored in relation to the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revision Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC) model dimensions. Results indicate that the Chinese version of the FCB-TI has similar psychometric properties and generally satisfactory reliability and validity.

From Twins to Genetic Polymorphisms: Behavioral Genetic Research in Poland

Behavioral genetic research has been conducted at the University of Warsaw for the past 20 years. The work done at the University focuses primarily on the origins of individual differences in temperament and other personality traits. In particular, research is directed toward the traits postulated in the Regulative Theory of Temperament. We also focused on the heritability of socio-political attitudes, risk factors for human health, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The majority of the research that has been carried out is grounded in twin and family studies, although recent work based on molecular techniques has also been developed. This article reviews the most important directions and findings of behavioral genetics research at the University of Warsaw.

The Bielefeld Longitudinal Study of Adult Twins (BiLSAT)

The Bielefeld Longitudinal Study of Adult Twins (BiLSAT) is a German longitudinal study of monozygotic and dizygotic twins reared together, including more than 1,100 twin pairs aged between 14 and 80 who participated in the first wave. Data were collected at five waves of assessment between 1993 and 2009. Initially, the study focused on genetic and environmental influences on the structure and the development in adult temperament and personality. Today, the study includes a broad range of individual variables, such as personality disorders, major life goals, interests, attitudes, values, life and work satisfaction, and major life events. A special feature of this genetically informative study lies in the multiple-rater approach (i.e., self-reports and peer reports). Longitudinal multiple-rater analyses allow researchers to go beyond the basic nature-nurture decomposition of variance in self-reports examining genetic and environmental influences on stability and change in more accurately measured individual attributes. In the current article, we briefly describe the design and contents of BiLSAT as well as some recent major findings and future plans.

Genetic Links Between Temperamental Traits of the Regulative Theory of Temperament and the Big Five

This study investigated the phenotypic, genetic, and environmental relationships between Big Five personality traits and temperamental traits on the basis of the regulative theory of temperament (RTT) using a multitrait-multimethod twin dataset. This allowed us to test specific hypotheses of the five factor theory (FFT) and the RTT. The Big Five personality factors were measured with the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI). The six regulatory temperamental traits were captured by the Formal Characteristics of Behavior-Temperament Inventory (FCB-TI). We analyzed self-reports as well as averaged peer ratings from 737 monozygotic and 395 dizygotic twins. Results showed phenotypic links between Big Five and RTT traits that could be attributed mainly to genetic factors. Genetic influences on the variance in Big Five personality traits did not account for the vast majority of genetic variance in all temperamental traits of the RTT contradicting the hypothesis of the FFT that the Big Five exhaustively cover basic temperamental traits. In line with the RTT, the FCB-TI scales showed large genetic links to Neuroticism and Extraversion and rather small links to Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness, supporting the idea of a differentiation between regulative and integrative aspects of personality.