Although temperament resists change, the expression of temperament can be modified by interactions with other people and events in a child's life. One of the most important characteristics of temperament is emotional reactivity. Emotional reactivity is how children vary in their mood and in their emotional responses to various situations. Some children show more joyful, friendly emotions, while others tend to express worry, anger, or fear. The amount of stimulation needed to bring out an emotional response is determined by the sensitivity of the child.
Children differ in intensity with which they usually express emotion.
A highly intense child may scream with anger in the same situation which would cause a low intense child to merely grumble or frown. Emotions shape our experiences of the world, and they exercise a pervasive influence throughout development. Infants are also sensitive to the emotions of others and they try to understand their meaning. For the preschool child, basic emotions have become supplemented by self-conscious emotions like pride, shame, guilt, and embarrassment. By middle childhood, children have become more effectively managed through cognitive means as well as behavioral strategies.