Chapter 1 Vocabulary Understanding Yourself

Heredity  The sum of all traits passed on through genes from parents to children.

Environment  Made up of everything that surrounds you.

Cultural heritage  Made up of learned behaviors, beliefs, and languages that are passed from generation to generation.

Ethnic group  A group of people who share common racial and/or cultural characteristics such as national origin, language, religion, and traditions.

Personality  The total of all the behavioral qualities and traits that make up an individual; the way you feel, the way you think, the way you speak, the way you dress, and the way you relate to others.

Character  Inner traits such as conscience, moral strength, and social attitudes; the inner you – that force that guides your conduct and behavior toward acceptable standards of right and wrong.

Empathy  Caring people understand how others feel even when their own personal feelings may differ.

Fairness  The ability to be honest and impartial – to act in an objective, unbiased way.

Respect  To hold in high regard. Acting with consideration and even admiration toward people, laws, and property describes a respectful person.

Trustworthiness  You can be relied upon; important in building strong relationships; relied on to keep promises; trusted to do their jobs to the best of their ability.

Responsibility  Being accountable for your actions and obligations; you accept the consequences for what you do, good or bad.

Citizenship  (as a character trait) refers to the quality of a person’s response to membership in a community; usually conferred upon you at birth; loyalty to country and community is expected of its citizens; if services or facilities are not as you would like, you have a duty to make them better.

Self-concept  Your view of yourself; largely influenced by people around you and the way you interpreted their behaviors toward you.

Improving your self-concept  Be realistic about your expectations of yourself  Develop your talents and abilities  Look for positive relationships with others  Spend time doing activities you enjoy  Spend time doing for others  Develop a sense of humor

Self-esteem  The sense of worth you attach to yourself – it’s a word used to describe a positive self-concept; a personal statement you make to yourself and your accomplishments.

Maturity  Growth and development can be summarized in one word during the teen years – change; the change that occurs between childhood and adulthood.

Developmental tasks  Challenges to meet your personal needs and handle new expectations placed on you by society; tasks or skills society has come to expect of people at various ages.

Needs  Basic items that are required for living.

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Self-actualization  The need to develop to their full potential.  Know what is important to them  Have set goals for themselves and have reached many of them  May strive for goals outside of themselves, such as a quest for beauty, truth, or justice  Seeks self-fulfillment by expressing their true selves  Accepting of their own weaknesses and those of others  Are in tune reality

Wants  Items people desire, but don’t need to survive.

Personal priorities  The beliefs, feelings, and experiences you consider to be important and desirable  Honesty  Friendship  Freedom  Happiness  Popularity  Health  Education  Beauty or  Status

Goals  The aims people consciously try to reach; attaining something you wanted and considered important.

Short-term goals  You can reach these goals in an hour, a day, or even a week.

Long-term goals  You may need several months or even several year to reach these goals.

Visionary goals  Goals that you don’t’ really expect to achieve and though you know you probably won’t reach these goals, they are worthwhile; they can inspire you to do more than you thought you were capable of doing; they can also add some interesting experiences to your life.

Steps in setting and achieving goals  Make a list of what ou want our of life  Consider your personal priorities-what’s most important  List ways you could achieve your goals  Make some definite plans  Establish deadlines and rewards; deadlines, or time goals, help you direct your efforts.

Standards  Accepted levels of achievement  Appearance  How well they do certain skills  Quality of their possessions

Quality of life  A phrase use to describe many factors that work together to foster personal well- being.  Good health  Environmental factors  Emotional closeness  Social ties  Education opportunities  Satisfying work

Management  Wisely using means to achieve goals.

Decision  A conscious or unconscious response to a problem or an issue.  Impulsive decisions  Habits  Emulation (do what other people around you are doing)  Creativity  Default (the act of not making a decision)

Decision-making process 1. Define the problem or the decision to be made. 2. Establish your goals 3. Prioritize your goals 4. Look for resources 5. Identify alternatives 6. Make a decision 7. Carry out the decision 8. Evaluate the results of your decision The end