What comes to mind when you hear the term personality?

You probably think of one’s social skills or social appeal.

People most often use the term to describe someone’s specific characteristics or as an explanation for people’s achievements or failures.

When sociologists/psychologists use the term, however, they are referring to more than an individual’s most striking characteristics.

To social scientists, personality is the sum total of behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and values that are characteristic of an individual.

Personality Traits

Personality traits determine how we adjust to our environment and how we react in specific situations.

No two individuals have exactly the same personalities.

Personalities continue to develop throughout a person’s lifetime.

Personality development is more obvious during childhood, when people are experiencing rapid physical, emotional, and intellectual growth.

Once people reach adulthood, personality traits change at a slower rate.

Nature Versus NurtureDebate over what determines personality

and social behaviorSome argue that it is heredity – the

transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to children

Others suggest that social environment – contact with other people determines personality

Debate known as nature versus nurture, or inherent genetic characteristics versus environment and social learning

Nature versus NurtureNature viewpoints

Instinct – unchanging, biological inherited behavior pattern

Sociobiology – systematic study of the biological basis of all social behaviorArgue that such varied cultural characteristics and

behavioral traits as religion, cooperation, competition, slavery, territoriality, and envy are rooted in the genetic makeup of humans

Most social scientists assume that personality and social behavior result from a blending of hereditary and social environment influences

Factors that Shape Individual Personality Development?

HeredityPhysical traits, aptitudes, inherited characteristics, biological drivesAptitude – capacity to learn a particular skill or acquire a particular knowledgePlays an important role in shaping human personalities by setting limits on

individualsParents

Parental characteristics, such as age, education, religion, and economic statusBirth order

Children with siblings have a different view of the world than do children who have no brothers or sisters

If they have siblings the order in which we are born into our families influences our personalities

Cultural environment Determines the basic personality types found in societyEach culture gives rise to a series of personality traits – model personalities –

that are typical members of that societyHow we experience our culture also influences our personalities

Gender differences or subculture differences

Isolation in Childhood

Feral childrenWild or untamed children

Children raised with animalsRaised without the influence of a cultural

environmentRaised isolated in homesFew human characteristics

Acquired no reasoning ability, no manners, and no ability to control their bodily functions or move about like other human beings

Sociological studies of feral children point strongly to the conclusion that our personality comes from our cultural environment.

Feral ChildrenAnna

Anna born to an unmarried woman – her father angeredTried to place in a children’s home but too expensiveAt 6 months old Anna was confined to an attic room where she

was given only a minimum amount of careShe was undernourished and emaciated and received almost no

human contactShe was not spoken to, held, bathed or lovedAt age 6 Anna was discovered by a social worker and was a little

more than a skeletonShe could not walk, talk, or feed herselfFace was expressionless and she showed no interest in other

peopleOver time she made some progress: learned to walk, feed herself,

and brush her teeth and even talked in a few phrases and follow simple directions

Anna died at age 10 probably as a result of her earlier isolation

Feral ChildrenIsabelle

Mother unmarried and was found at about the same time as AnnaChild’s grandfather kept her and her deaf mother confined to a dark

roomAlthough deprived of a normal cultural environment Isabelle did have

the advantage of her mother’s companyBecause she and her mother only communicated through gestures,

Isabelle never learned to speakWhen found at age 6, Isabelle crawled around on her hands and

knees making grunting, animal-like sounds; ate with her hands; and behaved in ways like an infant

After several months of intense training, Isabelle began to speak and eventually developed on considerable vocabulary

After 2 years, Isabelle had reached a level of social and mental development consistent with her age group

It was concluded that Isabelle’s constant contact with her mother and skillful training by specialists allowed her to overcome her early social deprivation

GenieSometimes it is impossible to reverse the effects of prolonged

isolation, even with the help of dedicated specialists.Genie discovered in 1970 at age 13Genie’s father confined her from the age of 20 months to a

tiny bedroom in which she spent her days tied up to an infant’s potty chair

She was beaten if she made any noise so her world was silent and when her dad did have contact with her he behaved like an angry dog thus Genie never learned to talk

Genies only toys were 2 plastic raincoats, empty spools of thread, and an empty cottage-cheese container

When Genie was found she could not stand straight and had the social and psychological skills of a one-year-old.

After 8 years of training, Genie had not progressed past the level of a third grader

The Study of Genie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEnkY2iaKis

After Watching Genie

Answer the following questions:What are your thoughts about Genie’s capabilities?Why do you think feral children have the possibility of

existing?Which argument do you support and why: Nature or

Nurture? EXPLAIN FULLY.What factors have shaped your personality

development? How and why? EXPLAIN FULLY.Which of the four factors that affect personality

development have more influence on personality development which have less? Why? EXPLAIN FULLY.

Are you a product of your social environment?Is it possible not to be? Why or why not?