Premium Essay

The Role of the Environment in Personality Development of Children

In:

Submitted By kingerwin
Words 292
Pages 2
The Role of the Environment in Personality Development of Children

Abstract
Various components influence the overall development of children. It is not simply the society in which each child is born and lives but certain and identifiable parts of the society. Although every aspect of child development involves genetics, environmental factors contribute significantly in the personality development of children. Subcultures of race/ethnicity, economic status, faiths/religion, and locality/region, in addition to particular groups such as friends and family distinctly affect each child. Throughout the lifespan, people constantly confront new or varying situations—both individual and societal—and need to understand how to adjust to these conditions. The most significant time of acculturation occurs during infancy and childhood, which establishes the foundation of every child’s future personality. However, whether one becomes an extrovert or introvert, a genius or average, enthusiastic or passive is contingent upon many unique effects and is not easy to foresee when a child is first born. Familial, associative, academic, and communal influence impacts one’s worldview—how one reasons, socializes and develops a sense of self. This research examines environmental influences—such as parenting styles and attachment; social economic status and parent stability; sibling positions and relations; neighborhood and peer groups, including school and mass media—on the personality development of children.

The Role of the Environment in Personality Development of Children
Personality can be described as the multiple ways, in its entirety, which a person interrelates with and responds to others and is generally explained as the inherent and comparatively persisting forms of feeling, thought and behavior (Feldman, 2011). It is the totality of one’s psychological characteristics,

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

The Role of the Environment in Personality Development of Children

...the overall development of children. It is not simply the society in which each child is born and lives but certain and identifiable parts of the society. Although every aspect of child development involves genetics, environmental factors contribute significantly in the personality development of children. Subcultures of race/ethnicity, economic status, faiths/religion, and locality/region, in addition to particular groups such as friends and family distinctly affect each child. Throughout the lifespan, people constantly confront new or varying situations—both individual and societal—and need to understand how to adjust to these conditions. The most significant time of acculturation occurs during infancy and childhood, which establishes the foundation of every child’s future personality. However, whether one becomes an extrovert or introvert, a genius or average, enthusiastic or passive is contingent upon many unique effects and is not easy to foresee when a child is first born. Familial, associative, academic, and communal influence impacts one’s worldview—how one reasons, socializes and develops a sense of self. This research examines environmental influences—such as parenting styles and attachment; social economic status and parent stability; sibling positions and relations; neighborhood and peer groups, including school and mass media—on the personality development of children.   The Role of the Environment in Personality Development of Children Personality can be described...

Words: 2968 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

The Role of the Environment in Personality Development of Children

...the overall development of children. It is not simply the society in which each child is born and lives but certain and identifiable parts of the society. Although every aspect of child development involves genetics, environmental factors contribute significantly in the personality development of children. Subcultures of race/ethnicity, economic status, faiths/religion, and locality/region, in addition to particular groups such as friends and family distinctly affect each child. Throughout the lifespan, people constantly confront new or varying situations—both individual and societal—and need to understand how to adjust to these conditions. The most significant time of acculturation occurs during infancy and childhood, which establishes the foundation of every child’s future personality. However, whether one becomes an extrovert or introvert, a genius or average, enthusiastic or passive is contingent upon many unique effects and is not easy to foresee when a child is first born. Familial, associative, academic, and communal influence impacts one’s worldview—how one reasons, socializes and develops a sense of self. This research examines environmental influences—such as parenting styles and attachment; social economic status and parent stability; sibling positions and relations; neighborhood and peer groups, including school and mass media—on the personality development of children.   The Role of the Environment in Personality Development of Children Personality can be described...

Words: 285 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Life Span

...Lifespan Development and Personality Marie A. Hines PSY/103 March 12, 2012 Colleen Donald Lifespan Development and Personality Early childhood development can be affected by a number of factors, and it is impossible to underestimate the immense importance of the early development of children. Erik Erikson's stage theory of psychosocial development contributed to the understanding of personality development throughout the lifespan. The lifespan development of human being involves the psychological and genetic alterations from the birth and end of the life. The progress of life is highly influenced by the hereditary and environmental factors involving the different aspects related to physical, cognitive, social, moral, and personality development (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). Erik Erikson felt as if middle age children between the ages of six and twelve is where they begin to develop the mental skills needed in later years.“Elementary school-aged children, who succeed in learning new, productive life skills, develop a sense of pride and competence (industry). Those who fail to develop these skills feel inadequate and unproductive (inferior)” (Carpenter & Huffman, 2010). The phase of physical development of a child is classified as gross motor skills development and fine motor skills development. Hereditary factors play an important role in the physical growth and characteristics development of the child in the middle...

Words: 1170 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

2recession

...controversy concerning the issue is complicated because both nature and nurture play an important role in shaping one’s character. Although genetic makeup does influence how a person develops, the environment where one is brought up has a significant effect on the character. According to Keating (2010), the nurture versus nature debate dates back to the time of John Locke and Aristotle. The two philosophers had individual thoughts on the matter. Despite the arguments, it is accepted that the environment plays a bigger part in the development of one’s personality (Dowling, 2010). Psychologists argue that nature has a great influence on one’s character. Indeed, nature deals with a person’s genetic make-up as well as biological psychology. Genes determine physical traits such as blood type and eye color (Shaffer, 2008). Biological Siblings tent to show similar personality traits compared to adopted ones. Moreover, a person’s genes can determine whether a person can suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer. A person who suffers from such diseases shows how nature can play a role in the development of a person. Keating writes, “The nature debate is credible because of the genetic factors that support how people’s personalities and appearance develops, yet the nurture of a person ultimately overshadows the nature debate because environmental factors better influence the development of a person” (P. 141). People come from diverse backgrounds, which influence their...

Words: 618 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Personality Development

...Personality Development Nikki Aksamit University of Phoenix Personality Development Personality development has been tied to genetic and biological factors, as well as our interactions within our environments. Research has shown that genetics directly contribute to the determination of our personality traits. Growing up with a single parent mother, and having no direct contact with my biological father, I can only speak to a comparison between her and I. How a parent interacts with a child, and the environment that the child is raised in, influences the development of the child’s personality. From personal experience, I can see the direct correlation of parental behavior modeling and childhood environment in how personality traits are developed. Scientists have determined that genetics provide a template for a child’s temperament, but it is how those traits are encouraged or suppressed that ultimately determine the strength of those traits. In my own childhood, it was not only the influence of my mother that shaped my personality; educational, peer, and work environments also played a large role in how my personality developed. Genetic Factors Scientific research has indicated that our genetic make up is the foundation for a number of human traits. Included are the traits that make up our personalities; but the way these traits eventually appear varies according to our individual development process (University...

Words: 1314 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Stages of Development

...STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT Influences on Physical and Cognitive Development Early Childhood 1-6 years old Katherine Wright STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT Influences on Physical and Cognitive Development Early Childhood 1-6 years old There are eight stages of development. The first stage is infancy age 0-1 year old, the second stage is toddler stage ages 1-2 years old, the third stage is early childhood ages 2-6 years old, the fourth stage is elementary and middle school stage ages 6-12 years old, the adolescence stage ages 12-18 years is the fifth stage, the sixth stage is the young adult stage age 19-40, the seventh stage is the middle adulthood stage age 40-65, and the eighth stage is the late adulthood stage age 65 to death. The eight stages are called Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. These stages describe how a human should develop as they pass through life .Each stage that is conquered successfully means that a person conquers new challenges. Each stage builds as you successfully complete earlier stages. If the stages aren’t successfully completed, they can resurface as problems in the future. In the second stage, which is early childhood the development process is Crisis: Initiative vs. Guilt Description: Children have newfound power at this stage as they have developed motor skills and become more and more engaged in social interaction with people around them. They now must learn to achieve a balance between eagerness for more adventure and more responsibility...

Words: 1258 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Psychology

...moral compass, a strong sense of self, and sometimes critical life experiences such as parental divorce. Social and personality development encompasses these and many other influences on the growth of the person. In addition, it addresses questions that are at the heart of understanding how we develop as unique people. How much are we products of nature or nurture? How enduring are the influences of early experiences? The study of social and personality development offers perspective on these and other issues, often by showing how complex and multifaceted are the influences on developing children, and thus the intricate processes that have made you the person you are today (Thompson, 2006a). Understanding social and personality development requires looking at children from three perspectives that interact to shape development. The first is the social context in which each child lives, especially the relationships that provide security, guidance, and knowledge. The second is biological maturation that supports developing social and emotional competencies and underlies temperamental individuality. The third is children’s developing representations of themselves and the social world. Social and personality development is best understood as the continuous interaction between these social, biological, and representational aspects of psychological development. PERSONALITY Parents look into the faces of their newborn infants and wonder, “What kind of person will this child will become...

Words: 2355 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Socioeconomic Status

...Socioeconomic status (SES) affects the personalities, parent to child interactions, and learning capabilities of children. Generally, it is measured based upon education, income, place of residence, and occupation of the individual. Many research studies have found a direct correlation between the development of a child and the socioeconomic status of their family. The way in which socioeconomic status is measured determines whether someone is from a low or high SES family. Childhood development starts at around 2 years old and ends at about 11 years old. According to Jean Piaget, child psychologist, childhood development consists of the preoperational and concrete operational stages. The preoperational stage is when children are engaged in...

Words: 1766 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

History of Socialization

...disseminating norms, customs and ideologies, providing an individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within his or her own society. Socialization is thus ‘the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained’.[1][2] Socialization describes a process which may lead to desirable, or 'moral', outcomes. Individual views on certain issues, such as race or economics, may be socialized (and to that extent normalized) within a society. Many socio-political theories postulate that socialization provides only a partial explanation for human beliefs and behaviors, maintaining that agents are not 'blank slates' predetermined by their environment.[3] Scientific research provides some evidence that people might be shaped by both social influences and genes.[4][5][6][7] Genetic studies have shown that a person's environment interacts with his or her genotype to influence behavioral outcomes[8]. | | edit] Theories Socialization is the means by which human infants begin to acquire the skills necessary to perform as a functioning member of their society, and is the most influential learning process one can experience.[9] Unlike other living species, whose behavior is biologically set, humans need social experiences to learn their culture and to survive.[10] Although cultural variability manifests in the actions, customs, and behaviors of whole social groups (societies), the most fundamental expression of culture is found at the individual level. This expression...

Words: 3298 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Explain How the Role of the Teacher Changes in the Process of the Child’s Growing Normalisation

...The following essay shows how the role of the teacher changes as the child grows through the process of normalisation. The terms normalisation and deviations, will be defined and understood. Favourable environment will be discussed with regard to the role it plays in the normalisation process. The changes that a child undergoes will be considered along with how the teacher’s role will change as the child is maturing. I will briefly consider what the needs are of new children when they enter the nursery for the first time. I will also explain why a child might regress during this process. ‘Normalisation’ (2012) can be defined as all functions coming together and all the parts being connected; it is like a new personality is created. Functions that were not functioning before because they were repressed now function and a new person evolves. Normalisation is when a child’s natural characteristics have the ability to follow a natural path of development. This natural path of development should be the main aim of the facilitator, guiding the child towards normalisation. Normalisation is a process that carries on over a long period of time at the nursery. “This phenomenon of normalization is only achieved through intense activity and real concentration.”(Montessori, 2012, p.216) Characteristics of a normalised child are, a child who is settled, used to daily routine and who is part of the nursery environment. This is a well-rounded child who is concerned about the needs of him/herself...

Words: 2075 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Developmental Psychology

...across the lifespan Human psychology throughout the lifespan is exhibited through the three important elements of emotion, which include; emotional expression regulation of emotional experiences emotional recognition This essay will discuss each of the three elements in the following life developmental stages referring to biological evidence and well know developmental stages referring to biological evidence and well know developmental theorists where appropriate. The three life stages in this essay will be infancy and childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Emotional expression is a key aspect of learning in which the individuals recognizes how to apply emotions that are socially appropriate and in keeping with the emotional development of that person. During infancy, the use of facial expressions is a key means of communication to establish biological needs. For example crying when to be fed or laughing when defecating. At this stage of infancy usually about the first months of birth, key cognitive functions to express emotions such as smiling is reflexive, independent of external stimuli. With the advancement of age of 2 - 3 months this reflexive motor is replaced by social smiling, typically when the baby sees his or her caregivers face. From the ages of 4 - 5 years, emotional expressions begin to be shaped by societal and cultural expectations and this continues to expand between the ages of 8-12 years until adolescence. In adolescence, facial displays of emotion...

Words: 2241 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

The Importance of Socialization

...providing for their own needs in their new environments, the human infant is highly dependent upon others for satisfaction of basic human needs. Human young, born with an incomplete nervous system and having a long maturation period, will not survive unless adults feed them, protect them from the environment, and provide constant care. Socialization is a very important process that will mostly define a child’s acceptance and good relationship with things within the environment. Good socialization skills are developed when humans are exposed to as many things as possible. The more events that a child encounters and has positive reactions to, the better response he/she will have when these events are repeated throughout the course of life. It is important that you make the socialization process as entertaining and rewarding as you possibly can. This means that during this process, your infant will need to accept being handled and being touched by other humans so that she will not fear strangers (healthcare providers, or people whom they are introduced to.) This will prove beneficial when you have to take the infant to the health clinic per se. Make sure that all the experiences a child is introduced to are pleasurable experiences. That way the child will build a good association between the event and the reward. Human contact us necessary not only for the infant’s physical well-being, but for healthy social and psychological development as...

Words: 1116 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Why Do We Need Preschools.

...The Benefits Of Having Children Attend Pre School Education Essay Abstract This report covers the benefit of sending children to pre-school before kindergarten. Literature review is used to explore the research existing in this field. It will help us to understand what effect pre-school has on children. Such programs are also discussed in the paper which is conducting training for preschoolers for their development. This paper not only covers that academic aspect but also sheds light on the benefits preschool education has on social and emotional aspects of children's life. After collecting this information, it will be collaborated with the findings of this research paper using different research technique. In the end, the paper will be concluded along with some suggestions. Introduction In this competitive world it is very important to train the children in such a way that they are not left behind. Study shows that with pre-school training, children show much developed skills of learning when they enter kindergarten. If a child is being read to at home, visits museums, learns how to play a game and reads along someone then it is more likely that his/her learning abilities are polished and ready for kindergarten (Stube & Patrick, 2010). Pre-school is a planned program for children before they start their formal education. It deals with the learning ability of a child. Children are trained in such a way that their learning abilities are enhanced. Specified techniques are...

Words: 2476 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Personality

...Personality Characteristics Tiffany Williams Psy/504 Professor Kersey June 14, 2010 Personality Characteristics Personalities are characteristics that differ from one person to the next. Personalities can change over time depending on the situation or environment one is in. Personalities is the traits that makes a person unique and different. According to Costa and McCrae Big five factor traits an individual can be categorized as being neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness (Cervone, Pervin, 2010). In order to understand how a person personality falls under any of these categories one have to take a look at early development, family and social relationship and educational background Three Personality Characteristics According to the Big Five Trait Factor my personality lies in the extraversion and agreeableness category. The three main personality characteristic that everyone has observed is friendly, sociable and good natured. These personality traits and many others have made me the person I am today. Extraversion and Agreeableness individuals are sociable, active, person oriented, soft hearted, good natured, forgiving and affectionate ( Cervone, Pervin, 2010). Individuals in these two categories who are talkative, sociable, confident make friends easy and love being in social setting ( Adnan, Adnan, 2002). Early Development The development of the above dimension Extrovert and Agreeabless began around five years...

Words: 1466 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Personality and Individual Differences

...Course: Tutor: Date: Personality and individual differences are crucial element in both human and animal development. The personality traits are therefore a rage of differences that arise between individuals and emanate in form of thoughts feelings and behavior hence differentiating one individual from another. Human beings are different from one another not only in their physical appearance but also in there behavior. Take for instance, two identical twins may respond to the same stimulus quite differently even though all aspects of their appearance seem to be similar. Oliver (2008) illustrates that there is much evidence that the behavioral (psychological) development is shaped by multiple factors which ranges from biological, familial and cultural. The underlying perspective is that all behaviors are learnt through the interaction with the environment .For instance a newly born child is believed to be completely black and his/her characters are developed as a result interaction with the environment .This learning theory differs with the common perspective that all human beings are born with personality characters. Oliver (2008) goes further to explain that parents have a crucial role to ensure that there kids glow up with the kind of character traits they want or admire. He believes that children have always depend on the resources there parents provide making parents a unique influence on all aspect of children development. This always go a long ways even...

Words: 2170 - Pages: 9