Chapter 1Introduction Do you ever wonder why whenever people describe other’s personality; they usually refer to the attitude and behavior? It is because people’s attitudes speak of their personality.
But there is more to behavior and attitude that comprises a person’s character. Their emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical well-being all build up their so-called personality (Exforsys Inc., 2010).According to Sadhuji (2008) the environmental factors that exert pressures on people’s personality formation are the culture in which they are raised: early conditioning, the norms in the family, friends and social groups, and other influences that we experience. The environment to which they are exposed plays a substantial role in shaping their personalities.
Statement of the Problem The purpose of this term paper is to identify and explain how and why certain personality traits develop. The proponents aimed to answer the following questions: 1. What are the important aspects of environment?2. Which among those aspects is the most important in shaping an individual’s personality? Why? Significance of the Term Paper A person’s personality is defined by their characteristics, behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. These aspects start developing during childhood, and are strengthened and molded as the person grows into adulthood. A very important thing a person needs to remember is that his personality, regardless of what it is now, can develop and evolve.
The significance of this understanding is that he can still do something about his personality today, which means that if a person thinks his personality needs to be changed or improved, then he can make this happen (Exforsys Inc., 2010).For the future researchers, this study will serve as a reference or basis for further study on the different determinants of personality development especially the environmental factor. They can add hereditary as one factor for future topic of their term paper. Scope and LimitationThe following are the scope of the study: This study is focused on citing the different important aspects of the environmental factor.
These aspects are the following: (1) physical environment, (2) social environment, (3) family environment, (4) cultural environment, (5) school environment. The following are the limitations of the study:This study is limited merely on the environmental factors affecting the personal development and behavior of an individual.Definition of Terms 1. Personality - is the sum total of individual’s psychological traits, characteristics, motives, habits, attitudes, beliefs and outlooks.
2. Self-Concept - is a general term used to refer to how someone thinks about or perceives themselves. 3. Identity - the collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a thing is definitively recognizable or known. 4.
Society or human society - is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.Chapter 2 This chapter presents the discussion on how environment affects the personality traits developed to an individual. I. The important aspects of the environment are as follows: 1. Physical EnvironmentIt includes the influence of climatic conditions of a particular area or country on man and his living (Kumar, 2011). 2.
Social Environment The child has his birth in the society. He learns and lives there. Hence, the social environment has an important say in the personality development of the child (Kumar, 2011). 3.
Family EnvironmentFamily is the cradle of all social virtues. The first environment, the child moves in, is his home. Here the child comes in contact with his parents and other family member his likes, dislikes, stereotypes about people, expectancies of security and emotional responses all are shaped in early childhood. The type of training and early childhood experiences received from the family play an important role in the development of personality (Kumar, 2011). 4. Cultural EnvironmentThe cultural environment refers to certain cultural traditions, ideals, and values etc.
, which are accepted in a particular society. All these factors leave a permanent impression on the child's personality (Kumar, 2011). 5. School EnvironmentSchools play an important role in molding the personality of the children because a significant part of a child's life is spent in school between the ages of 6 and 20 years. In the school, the teacher substitutes the parents (Kumar, 2011). In addition to the above there are many other social factors which influence the development of personality of a child which are as follows: (a) LanguageLanguage is an important vehicle by which the society is structured and culture of the race transmitted from generation to generation.
The child's personality is shaped by the process of interaction through language with other members of his environment (Kumar, 2011). (b) Social RoleSocial roles may be described as process by which the co-operative behavior and communications among the society members are facilitated (Kumar, 2011). (c) Self-Concept Self concept influences our personality development in two ways: (1) If other people hold high positive “ergative” enhances our self and (2) If others may hold us, it creates feelings of worthlessness and to self-defense or withdrawal from social situation (Kumar, 2011). (d) IdentificationIdentification is an important mechanism by which we try to imitate the physical, social and mental characteristics of our model. It is a very important relationship with others (Kumar, 2011).(e) Inter-personal Relations Inter-personal relations among the members of a society are important means which help in the development of certain social personality characteristics like attraction towards others, concept of friendship, love, sympathy, hostility and also isolation which is a negative orientation (Kumar, 2011).
II. Why Family Environment the Most Important? As what Culotta cited in an article, the family provides the foundation and security necessary for the child to develop well-roundedness and necessary social skills. When a parent is absent, a void will exist that lasts a lifetime. Even when a parent is emotionally unavailable, a child can suffer. Multiple family members give children real-time experience in regard to human relationships. They learn different ways of relating through a natural give and take.
Mothers, Fathers and sibling offer love and care at the appropriate times to ensure the child gets the emotional food to progress to the next level of development. Even when times get difficult, as they do, children are able to learn conflict resolution.When families disagree, debate, or even argue, this can be an opportunity for growth and learning. Children learn to cope through stormy weather and navigate through the tough times. Families need to recognize that staying intact and working though challenges are much better in the long run, than disbanding and going separate ways.
When this unfortunate scenario happens it is devastating to the children's well-being. Even after a divorce kids get the short end of the stick. When parents separate the children, not only loose a father, the mother often gets torn away do to having to work and finding a new partner. When parents remarry, the original children become the step-child.
This can be devastating to a child's development.They no longer enjoy the same status, in the hierarchy, and new children become the focal point. In addition, if the mother chose not to remarry, the child can often become the re-placement parent (Culotta, 2009). The most important ingredient for happy kids is a family. When and if one of the family members becomes ill, everyone must pitch in and help. Values will be instilled to children, when they are part of a team, where the mother and father make a point of displaying good values and morals.
Without those necessary life lessons children will find other methods to deal with crisis and that can ultimately be very destructive to a child's well-being (Culotta, 2009).Moreover, according to Schor (1999), the family instructs children and gives guidance about personal values and social behavior. It instills discipline and helps them learn and internalize codes of conduct that will serve them for the rest of their lives. It helps them develop positive interpersonal relationships, and it provides an environment that encourages learning both in the home and at school. It gives children a sense of history and a secure base from which to grow and develop. Yet, as important as these functions are, they do not happen automatically.
Every parent knows it takes hard work to keep the family going as an effective, adaptive, and functional unit.Chapter 3 This chapter presents the summary of this paper. It also presents the conclusion drawn from the conduct of the study and suggests recommendations based on the conclusions formulated. Summary This paper discusses the points of environmental factors affecting personal development.
Environment is considered to be one great factor that contributes to an individual’s personality. It specifically answered the questions: what are the different important aspects of environment? And, which among those aspects is the most important in shaping an individual’s personality? Why? Based on the information gathered, there are five important aspects of environment which contribute to an individual’s personality development, these are the following:(1) Physical environment, (2) Social environment, (3) Family environment, (4) Cultural environment, (5) School environment. All aspects are important and contribute in shaping an individual’s personality. The most important ingredient for happy kids is a family. When and if one of the family members becomes ill, everyone must pitch in and help.
Values will be instilled to children, when they are part of a team, where the mother and father make a point of displaying good values and morals. Without those necessary life lessons children will find other methods to deal with crisis and that can ultimately be very destructive to a child's well-being (Culotta, 2009). ConclusionBased on the information gathered, the following conclusions are made: 1. There are five important aspects of environment which contribute to an individual’s personality development, these are the following: (1) Physical environment, (2) Social environment, (3) Family environment, (4) Cultural environment, (5) School environment. 2. The family provides the foundation and security necessary for the child to develop well-roundedness and necessary social skills.
When a parent is absent, a void will exist that lasts a lifetime. Even when a parent is emotionally unavailable, a child can suffer. Multiple family members give children real-time experience in regard to human relationships. They learn different ways of relating through a natural give and take. Mothers, Fathers and sibling offer love and care at the appropriate times to ensure the child gets the emotional food to progress to the next level of development.
RecommendationsBased on the conclusions drawn in the study, the following recommendations are suggested: 1. That the future researchers should research more about the factors of personality development and should able to distinguish those different factors. 2. That the students should further read more about personality development to improve their knowledge regarding this topic.
