Chapter 5, Section 1
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The document discusses four main factors that affect personality development: nature, nurture, heredity, and environment. It analyzes the debate around whether nature (genetics) or nurture (environment) has a greater influence. Isolation in childhood can profoundly impact development, as seen in case studies of feral children confined with little social interaction or stimulation who struggled to learn basic skills even after being rescued.
Chapter 5, Section 1
- 1. Chapter 5, section 1 Personality Development Goals: To analyze the four main factors that affect the development of personality. 2. To analyze how isolation in childhood may affect development.
- 2. Personality What is personality? Do any two people have the same? How do they develop? -the sum total of behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and values that are characteristic of an individual -people’s personalities continue to develop throughout their lifetimes…how has yours changed? What might make it change? -
- 3. Nature versus Nurture What determines personality and social behavior? -heredity: the transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to children -social environment: contact with other people ---the debate continues…which is it?
- 4. Case for nature Human behavior is instinctual in origin -instinct: an unchanging, biologically inherited behavior pattern Instinctual drives are responsible for everything…laugh, cry, warfare, religion
- 5. Case for nurture Human behavior are result of his or her social environment -important work from Russian Ivan Pavlov -experiments--Pavlov’s dogs - instincts could be learned Extended by Watson who said he could teach or train healthy humans to be whatever they wanted
- 6. Sociobiology The systematic study of the biological basis of all social behavior They argue that most of human social life is determined by biological factors Social scientists, however, refute this and suggest social environmental influences have greater significance… The debate looms…
- 7. Heredity Characteristics present at birth that are passed down: body build, hair type, eye color, skin pigmentation Also, certain aptitudes - the capacity to learn a particular skill…ie - music or art Will little aptitude in music mean he or she will not be a musician? What does it mean when one says, “the apple does not fall far from the tree”
- 8. Birth Order Are you the first born or last? Does it matter? According to some, it does! First borns are more likely to be conservative, while last borns are more risk-takers… What are you?
- 9. Parental Characteristics Personal behavior linked to parents How? Age of parents - how do different ages relate to children? Religious orientation, level of education, economic status, cultural heritage, occupational background
- 10. The Cultural Environment The atmosphere of one’s culture can influence personal behavior American culture: assertiveness, individualism - common in US and common in its citizens Case study: the Iks of Uganda, the Native Americans, Palestinians How do subcultural connections affect personality behavior - Italian versus Polish family?
- 11. Isolation in Childhood How is one affected by isolation or being raised without a cultural environment? -feral children: wild or untamed children Case studies: Anna - daughter of unmarried woman; after time of stay in foster care, returned to home; was confined to attic; was discovered by age of 6 - was not able to walk, talk, feed herself; learned how to do some, but died at 10…Isabelle - similar scenario; confined to one area with deaf mother; didn’t learn how to speak; found at age 6; behaved like infant; overcame some of social isolation
- 12. Genie: discovered in 1970; father locked her in room and confined to little activity and movement; finally discovered, but after 8 years of intervention never reached past 3rd grade level
- 13. Institutionalization Studies performed on orphanages, hospitals Children may show characteristics of isolated children Is it because lack of care? How might this change your perspective on things?