Temperament – Mood

MOOD

Mood refers to the general tendency towards a happy or unhappy demeanor. Everyone has a variety of emotions and reactions that are the opposite of each other such as cheerful and stormy, happy and unhappy. Each person biologically tends have generally positive or negative mood.  A baby who may smile and coo all the time could be considered a cheerful baby. Whereas a baby who cries or is fussy all the time may be considered a stormy baby.

Do you express a positive or negative outlook?

MOOD

Sunny/Cheerful___________________________________________Stormy

Tips for Managing the Extremes

For people who tend to be negative:

• Try to ignore general negative mood, but tune in to real distress.
• Encourage them to recognize and talk about the things that make them happy.
• Act as a role model for positive social interactions.

For those who are always positive:

• Be sensitive to subtle signs of unhappiness that they may be bottling up inside.
• Explore Teach appropriate ways to express feelings of sadness, anger, fear, and frustration.

Reference: Wikipedia

Photocredit: Nevin Taylor 2008