Personality Development January 9, 2012

Personality  Group of behavioral and emotional traits that distinguishes an individual.

Forces That Shape Your Personality  Heredity: Traits that are passed from your ancestors to you. Has a great effect on your personality:  Physical traits  Attitude  Intelligence  Behavior  Environment: All of the conditions, objects, and circumstances that surround an individual.  Affects thoughts, feelings and actions.  Your Response to Your Environment: How you perceive things and respond.

6 Growth Stages  Chronological Growth: Growth in months and years.  Physical Growth: Growth in height and weight  Intellectual Growth: Growth in knowledge and mental abilities.  Emotional Growth: Development of ability to control and express feelings.  Social Growth: Development of ability to get along with other people.  Philosophical Growth: Development of a deeper feeling and meaning and purposes in life.

Heredity  Heredity: Traits passed on from your ancestors.  Chromosomes: Where heredity information is contained.  Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.  46 total in every cell of their bodies  Gene: The basic unit of heredity. Carries all the characteristics that will be transferred.

Heredity (cont.)  Dominate Gene:  More influential or prevalent.  Examples- Curly/wavy hair, black/brown hair, brown eyes, freckles, full lips, long/full eyelashes, dimples, high/narrow nose  Recessive Gene:  Less influential or prevalent.  Examples- straight hair, blonde/red hair, short/thin eyelashes, blue eyes, thin lips, no dimples, low/broad nose, no freckles.

Chromosomal Birth Defects  Down’s- syndrome-a chromosomal disorder caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21 st chromosome.  Fragile X Syndrome- mutation on the X chromosome, results in spectrum of  Cystic Fibrosis- inherited disease of the secretory glands, including the glands that make mucus and sweat  Huntington’s Disease- an incurable neuraldenerative genetic disorder  Diabetes- The body does not produce or respond to insulin  Cleft Lip- abnormal development of upper lip during pregnancy

What is a mutation? A chemical change in genes  Twins:  Fraternal twins- two eggs fertilized by two sperm  Identical Twins- a single fertilized egg that divides. Always the same sex  Siamese twins- identical twins that are born physically linked   Multiple births- Triplets, quadruplets, and sextuplets  Mirror imaging- Reverse patterning in identical twins

Who determines the sex of the child?  The father! Y Chromosome

Inherited characteristics  Sex-linked characteristics- males have a greater risk  Color blindness  Hemophilia (bleeders disease)  Intellectual ability  Inherited, however environment plays a huge role  Blood Factors  O, A, B, AB  O is universal donor  AB universal reciever  Longevity  Skin Color  Hair and Facial features  Height and bone structure  Obesity  Diseases and defects (cancer)

Environmental Influences  1. Family  Parents  Cultural background: Ancestors, heritage, etc.  Siblings  Rivalry  Birth Order  2. Peers  3. Education

 4. Occupation  5. Religion  6. Community World  Technology  Changing economic situations  The media