Each individual is either cursed or blessed with an assortment of genetic traits that makes all of us unique. This is an obvious statement to be sure, still, the complexity of this enormous collection of genetic programming boggles the mind of almost anyone that might choose to explore its depths. Even with this potential for unlimited genetic variety, and even in the presence of any number of significant guiding influences, humans remain unique to each other. However, it can be argued that environmental experiences have a greater impact on the personality of an individual than genetic influences. Factors such as culture from macro to micro, social norms and traditions, religious affiliation, education, family upbringing, and physical and mental health to name a few, inexorably sort unique human personalities into easily recognizable social categories and behavioral patterns.
Thus, it is with the children in our course book. Even within limitations: same country, region, state, city, neighborhood, and school, each of these children experience their personal environment through the lens of an even finer scope. The micro-culture of the home, with its own rules, values, and role models, and the external forces of socio-economic status and neighborhood livability, to name a few, all play a role in the functionality of a family system. Add to this mix parenting styles, peer pressure, role models, and hormones, there is little wonder that adolescents are confused, conflicted, and prone to wild swings in their ability to function well and make critical judgments.
Therefore, Jessica, a sweet girl by my measurement, is tossed about in this tempest of psychosocial experiences – with its multitude of conflicting ideals, mores, an...
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...they went along. In Jessica’s case, her loving parents provided enough support to give her the chance to survive her intermittent but dangerous social experiments. Rachael on the other hand, had few tools to work with as she sampled every lifestyle that was offered to her, and was faltering by the end of the story.
Underneath it all, this was a story about parenting and the missed opportunities to create an environment that would take a unique young girl and nurture her growth into a confident and capable young woman.
Works Cited
Hersch P. (1999). Chapter 8 a circle of friends: it’s not peer pressure, it’s the adolescent way of life. Chapter 16 the dilemma of a fourteen year-old girl: contradictions as a way of life. A tribe apart a journey into the heart of American adolescence (pp. 144-157, pp. 251-266). New York, NY. Random House Publishing Group.
In chapter five of Suitably Modern, Mark Liechty discusses the action of “doing fashion” and how it affects the middle class and consumption in Kathmandu. Chapter five poses the question; what is new and what is not? This concerns the class distinctions and if modernization is actually occurring. The middle class in Kathmandu is claiming its own domain through clothing and ostracizing themselves. The author deems this action as adornment he defines it by stating, “It is used to set individuals and groups apart from some and to signal sameness”. Adornment can be a class distinction but also a gender role distinction. Women practice adornment to be indifferent in their relationships with men. For example women can chose to use flashier make-up which can distinguish a married woman from an unmarried woman. Liechty associates fashion with freedom. Film coming to Kathmandu quickly generated the modernization of fashion and consumption. Films exposed the residents to different types of fashion. Ultimately, the middle class wants its own cultural zone; through fashion and consumption it hopes to completely fit in with one another and still be distinct from other classes.
Young, P. (1991). “Families with adolescents,” in F. Brown (Ed.), Reweaving the Family Tapestry, (New York: Norton), pp. 131-148.
When life becomes overwhelming during adolescence, a child’s first response is to withdraw from the confinement of what is considered socially correct. Individuality then replaces the desire to meet social expectations, and thus the spiral into social non-conformity begins. During the course of Susanna’s high school career, she is different from the other kids. Susanna:
Jeannette Walls grew up with her 3 siblings and her dysfunctional parents moving around constantly. Her family lived in extreme poverty her whole childhood. Her father was a violent alcoholic and her mother didn't want the burden of children. But when her father was sober he taught her important life lessons. When her mother was in a good mood she taught her reading, writing and arithmetic.
Personality is a term that has largely been considered an unproblematic concept and primarily refers to the varying kinds of characteristics of individuals. Despite this assumption, psychologists have constantly used the word in different ways. The varying views in the use of this concept or term are fueled by the fact that psychology usually makes generalizations regarding individuals. Generally, personality seeks to examine the many differences and similarities between individuals. Formal evaluation and study of personality have mainly focused on patterns of similarities versus patterns of differences among individuals. When evaluating patterns of differences, the concept of abnormality has emerged and attracted huge concerns among psychologists. Since the issue is controversial, there are concerns whether individual differences in personality can be effectively explained with reference to genes.
Mzarcovitz, Hal. “Chapter 3: Irreconcilable Differences.” Teens & Family Issues (2004): 9-14. Book Collection: Nonfiction: Web. 25 March 2014
Throughout recent decades, family life has altered tremendously. In the United States adolescents have been shown a different view of what family life is. From the 1970’s until present day traditional families, such as married with children, have declined immensely. Looking back the societal rule has become very diverse considering all the aspects such as the increasing divorce rate, the rise in same-sex relationships, and the expansion of lower income households.
Either way, social scientists have been struggling for centuries deciding whether our personalities are born or made. Tests are done often on identical twins that were separated to see how they are influenced. In the past twenty years, it has been discovered that there is a genetic component to about every human trait and behavior (Pinker, 2002). However, genetic influence on traits and behavior is partial because genetics account on average for half of the variation of most traits (Pinker, 2002). Researchers are finding that the balance between genetic and environmental influences for certain traits change as people get older (Pinker, 2002).
The understanding of music in the church is important to any believer. For worship, through music, to be what God intended it to be, one must understand the important role of music and how to biblically apply it to a service. The Bible, however, does not give strict guidelines on this matter. Therefore, the church must interrupt what the Bible does say about worship into their routine. The issues discussed in the chapters to follow are the author’s position of issues within the church. This conviction will then be examined by the Bible and discussed.
Nature’s influence is not limited to appearance but extends further than that. Studies have shown that people inherit cognitive abilities and temperament patterns from their parents. The new question in today's research is: to what extent does nature’s role play in the formation of a human personality and whether the environment can favorably or adversely affect one’s personality (Sigelman & Rider, 2009).
Our personalities are what distinguish us from each other beyond our appearance; without them, we would all behave and react in the same way. Personality is the reason we are outgoing or introverted, persistent or blaze, and anxious or calm. We each have different levels of these competing characteristics that make us unique. But why are personalities so varied? Personality is determined by an array of factors from genetic and biological to the personal experiences and decisions we have faced from the day we are born. The complexity of our personalities cannot be simply explained, and for this reason there exists many different theories of how it’s developed and personality is still deeply under study. I went into this subject with an open-mind
The Biological approach to personality places emphasis on the genetic influences related to the development of an individual’s personality. Some may believe that children and their parents can have very similar personalities, for example a young boy having his father’s anger (Stelmack, 1990). Though this approach has often been questioned by psychologists, it is not disregarded all together. Some believe that genetics do have a role in an individual’s personality development; however environments, as well as personal experiences all work in forming personality.
Someone can physically look like their parents, siblings or even ancestors from the third generation. When a baby is born, it is common to learn in a natural way. No one teaches a baby how to crawl or how to react when he and she is hungry. However, talents, qualities and personalities are developed through experiences. The environment in which people grew up can have a lasting effect or influence on the way they talk, behave and respond to things around. According to Steven Pinker, Behavioral genetics has shown that temperament emerges early in life and remains fairly constant throughout the life span, that much of the variation among people within a culture comes from differences in genes, and that in some cases particular genes can be tied to aspects of cognition, language, and personality (2). Researchers believe that the origin of behaviors occur in genes in the DNA or even animal instincts which this concept is known as nature of human behavior. Other researchers believe that people are they were they are because they are taught to do so. This concept is well known as nurture in human behavior. In society, there will always be the doubt between Do we born in this way or do we behave according to life experiences? I strongly believe that nurture plays an important role in the upbringing of a child and the decisions that one makes in the future. Firstly, humans learn from their environment and other’s behaviors. Secondly, culture is a huge remark in people’s life. Finally,
The distinctive characteristics and qualities of any one person is one way to define personality. According to Feist & Feist (2009) personality is described as a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior. These traits are the precursor of behavior as per individuality, and that of behavior that is consistent throughout life. Although a person can argue the fact that traits is a disposition of genetic predisposition of certain characteristics, the pattern in which these are characterized are different. Each person’s anatomy, intelligence, and temperament are differently and each owns a unique personality, different from parents, grandparents, and any other individual on this planet. Personality theorists’ however may not concur.
Personality is the expression of a person’s traits according to ones feelings, mentality and behavior. It involves understanding individuals’ traits such as withdrawal and willpower and how various parts of an individual link together to form personality. Personality expresses itself from within an individual and is comparatively regular throughout in an individual’s life. Different people have different personalities dependent on factors such as environment and genetic composition. Our personality is dependent on the success or failure of our development in the eight stages of life. This is proposed by Erik Erikson. Success in the development stages lead to virtues while the failure leads to malignancies.