PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT 5.1. Personality Development Objectives: 1)What are the four main factors that affect the development of personality? 2)How does

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

5.1

Personality Development

Objectives:1) What are the four main factors that affect the

development of personality?2) How does isolation in childhood affect

development?

Introduction

Social scientists refer to: personality: as the sum total of behaviors, attitudes,

beliefs, and values that are characteristic of an individualDetermines:

how we adjust to our environment react in specific situations

No two individuals have the same personalityEach person:

own way of interacting with others and with their social environment

Own temperament, or emotional nature


NATURE VS NUTUREArgument 1: Genetics (heredity)-Nature: transmission of genetic

characteristics from parents to children Argument 2:Social environment- contact with other people-

Nurture

Genetics vs. EnvironmentNature vs Nurture


NATURE ARGUEMENT Much of the nature viewpoint held through the 1800’s

states that much of human behavior is instinct Instinct- unchanging, biologically inherited behavior

pattern Often applied to animal behavior

Humans are driven instinctually to: laugh, motherhood, warfare, religion, capitalism, and even

creation of society 1900’s: social scientists claimed to have found over 10,000

human instincts


NUTURE ARGUMENTPerson’s behavior and personality are the result of his

or her social environment and learningPavlov and his dogs…..

Sociobiology: systematic study of the biological basis of all social behaviorArgue that most human social life is determined by

biological factorsMost social scientists assume that personality and social

behavior result from a blending of hereditary and social environmental influences


Four factors that influence personality and behavior:

1) Heredity—physical traits, aptitudes, inherited characteristics, biological drives, limits

Aptitude- capacity to learn a particular skill or acquire a particular body of knowledge

Examples: sports, music, drawing etcEnvironmental factors: how parents responds to

their children aptitudes; encourage or discourage or do nothing at all


Sets limits on human in individuals- not good at music probably will not become a great musician; five feet tall wont play in the NBA

Place limits on what a person can do but does not determine what a person will do


2) Birth Order—personalities are shaped by siblings and the order in which we are born Children have different views of the world as only

children1st born: more achievement oriented and

responsible; defender of status quoLatter born: less responsible, tend to be better in

social relationships and to be more affectionate and friendly; risk takers and social and intellectual rebels


3.) Parental Characteristics: influenced by parental characteristics, such as age, education, religion, and economic statusParents who have children in their twenties relate

differently to parents who have their children in their thirties


4.) Cultural Environment: determines the basic personality types found in a societyCulture gives rise to a series of personality traits:

model personalities- typical for that society U.S. -competitiveness, assertiveness, and

individualism


Boys and girls are treated differently at the time of birth

Nudged in different directions- clothing, toys, types of play, speech habits

Family traditions: Italian, Polish, Chinese etc. and American


Isolation in ChildhoodRaised without the influence of cultural

environmentFeral children- wild or untamed children-

found living with animalsSome children isolated in their homes by

parents or family members so that no one knew of their existence


Isolation in ChildhoodBoth had few human characteristicsNo reasoning ability, no manners, and no

ability to control their bodily functionsIsolation can have severe consequences such

as developmental disabilities (mental, physical, social, and psychological), malnutrition, and death

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PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT 5.1. Personality Development Objectives: 1)What are the four main factors that affect the development of personality? 2)How does