Socializing the Individual Chapter 5 Section 1 Personality Development

Personality Development Objectives: 1. Identify the four main factors that affect the development of personality. 2. Explain how isolation in childhood affects development. Define: personality, heredity, instinct, sociobiology, aptitude, feral children Identify: John B. Watson, the Ik, Kingsley Davis, Rene Spitz

Personality Development A woman’s skill as a salesperson may be attributed to her assertive personality A student who drops out or has a very poor academic record may be known to have a lazy and apathetic personality A teenage girl, who thinks the world revolves around her dismisses instruction from her teacher/parents is known to have a disrespectful and rude personality A successful athlete who holds a 4.0 GPA is known for their hard working personality

Personality Development So how do we get the way we are?? Personality: the sum total of behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and values that are characteristic of an individual. Sociologists and Psychologists use the term when they are referring to more than a person’s striking characteristic -traits determine how we adjust to our environment & how we react in specific situations -continues to develop throughout our lifetime (slower rate in adulthood)

Personality Development Where does our personality come from? Nature v. Nurture?? Ever hear the saying: “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree?” What does this mean to you? Heredity-the transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to children.

Personality Development Instinct—unchanging biologically inherited behavior pattern Instinctive behaviors are believed to be the force behind everything: laughing, motherhood, warfare, religion, capitalism, communism, and even the creation of society itself

Pavlov’s Dogs In the early 1900’s, Sociologists determined that there were 10,000 human instincts Ivan Pavlov- proved that instincts can be taught Dog-fed-salivate to digest Dog-bell&feed-salivate Dog-bell-salivate Students are trained to do the Exact thing when bell rings John B. Watson

Personality Development Sociobiology- systematic study of the biological basis of all behavior 1970’s Sociobiologists argue that most of human social life is determined by biological factors Bummer, you have to play the hand your dealt. If Maybelline helps, use it.

Personality Development Heredity-certain characteristics that are present at birth Body, build, hair, eye color, skin color, aptitudes If you want to know what your boyfriend/girlfriend will look like in twenty years, wait…ten years, look at ma and pa Aptitude- capacity to learn a particular skill or acquire a particular body of knowledge natural talents such as music or art some talents are learned…

Personality Development Positive and Negative Reinforcement --- can affect one’s personality traits Alcoholism Reading to children at an early age Heredity provides you with certain biological needs, but culture determines how you meet those needs Eating habits

Personality Development Birth Order Can determine personality traits “Esau I hated, Jacob I have loved” Best matches for couples, according to Dr. Kevin Leman: Only-children and last borns First borns and last borns Middle children and last borns

Birth order Worst matches for couples: Only children and only children Female last borns with no brothers married to male last borns with no sisters How might other factors such as heredity and parental characteristics, affect the success of a marriage?