1. Chapter 4 Socializing the Individual
Section 1
Personality Development

2. Write a short position paper that addresses the following question:
Are babies born with the basic personalities that they will keep throughout their lives, or do they develop personalities through experience and interaction with other people?

3. Think of someone you know that you feel has a great personality:
Describe that person’s personality.
Why is it great?
How did they get that way?

5. What is personality?
The sum total of an individuals behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and values.
It is more than the person’s most striking characteristics.
No two individuals’ personalities are exactly alike.

6. Specific personality traits change at different rates and to different degrees.
Some traits remain basically constant throughout a person’s life.
Other traits undergo dramatic changes.

7. Nature vs. Nurture Nature = heredity, or inherited
Heredity is the transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to children.
Nurture = environment and social learning
Environment gives rise to personality and social behavior.

8. What are instinctive behaviors…
for birds?
for dogs?
for humans?

9. heredity
aptitude is the ability to learn a skill or acquire a body of knowledge
aptitude can be learned or inherited

10. What is the influence of birth order on personality characteristics?
Children with brothers and sisters have a different view of the world than do children who have no brothers or sisters.
The order in which we are born into the family influences our personalities.

12. First Born
Achievement-oriented
Cooperative
Cautious

14. Later Born
Good in social relationships
Affectionate
Friendly
Creative

15. What is the influence of parental characteristics on personality characteristics?
Parents …
age (early 20s vs. late 30s)
level of education
religious orientation
economic status
cultural heritage
occupation

16. What is the influence of cultural environment on personality characteristics?
Areas of difference include …
fields of interest
clothing
types of activities
speech
habits
ideas

17. What is the influence of heredity on personality characteristics?
Physical traits like …
one’s body build
skin color
hair color
eyes color
Natural talents for …
music
Art
sports

18. Describe how your own personality has been influenced by each of the following factors:
Birth order
Parental characteristics
Cultural environment
Heredity

19. Describe how your own personality has been influenced by each of the following factors:
Your own race
Your own ethnic background
Your religion
Your gender