Editing Temperament (section)

====Effortful control====
Effortful control includes the focusing and shifting of [[attention]], inhibitory control, perceptual sensitivity, and a low threshold for pleasure.<ref name="Rothbart in Merrill" /> This factor reflects the degree to which a child can focus attention, is not easily distracted,<ref name="Kail and Barnfield" /> can restrain a dominant response in order to execute a non-dominant response, and employ planning. When high in effortful control, six- to seven-year-olds tend to be more [[Empathy|empathetic]] and lower in aggressiveness.<ref name="Rothbart in Merrill" /> Higher levels of effortful control at age seven also predict lower externalizing problems at age 11 years.<ref name=Valiente>{{cite journal|pmid=14633062|doi=10.1111/1467-6494.7106011|year=2003|last1=Valiente|first1=C|title=The relations of effortful control and reactive control to children's externalizing problems: A longitudinal assessment|journal=Journal of Personality|volume=71|issue=6|pages=1171–96|last2=Eisenberg|first2=N|last3=Smith|first3=C. L|last4=Reiser|first4=M|last5=Fabes|first5=R. A|last6=Losoya|first6=S|last7=Guthrie|first7=I. K|last8=Murphy|first8=B. C}}</ref> Children high on negative affect show decreased internalizing and externalizing problems when they are also high on effortful control.<ref name="Rothbart, 2007" /> Rothbart suggests that effortful control is dependent on the development of executive attention skills in the early years. In turn, executive attention skills allows greater self-control over reactive tendencies. Effortful control shows stability from infancy into the school years<ref name="Rothbart, 2007" /> and also predicts [[conscience]].<ref name="Kochanska et al.">{{cite journal|pmid=10749079|doi=10.1037/0012-1649.36.2.220|year=2000|last1=Kochanska|first1=G|title=Effortful control in early childhood: Continuity and change, antecedents, and implications for social development|journal=Developmental Psychology|volume=36|issue=2|pages=220–32|last2=Murray|first2=K. T|last3=Harlan|first3=E. T}}</ref>