Influences on personality The two factors that influence our

personality that are constantly disputed over in psychology are:

1). Genetic Influences (nature) 2). Environmental Influences (nurture)

Genetic Influences In the early 1900s, leading psychologist

Thorndike claimed that the main determining factory is heridty

In 1925 however, John B. Watson claimed “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed,

and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select – doctor, lawyer, artist merchant-chief and yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations and race of his ancestors”

Genetics continued Almost all psychologists who study personality

regard biology and environment as interacting influences that shape personality

Genes – the basic units of heredity, are made up of DNAThese elements form chemical codes for the

synthesis of proteins, which keep us functioningGenes can affect the behaviours we call

“personality” through their effects on an infant’s developing brain and nervous system

Three methods of studying genetic influenceThe three main way researchers measure

genetic contributions is: 1). By studying personality traits in other

species (ie. Monkeys)2). By studying the temperaments of human

infants and children 3). By doing heritability studies of twins and

adopted individuals

Other species and personalitiesWhen we think of an individual that has

personality, we often think of human beings – but even bears, goats, cats and more have personalityThink about your own pets – you can often

describe them too as being shy or hyperactiveEx). Researchers dropped a crab into a tank of

octopuses, some of them would aggressively grab that dinner whereas others seemed more passive and waited for the crab to swim near them, some attacked the crab only when they weren’t being watched

More geneticsEven the most recent of studies reveals that

most of the big five traits (a test measuring personality traits that is used to wholly summarize the personality) can be found in 64 different species!

Factoring in heritabilityScientists have no way of estimating heritability of a

trait or behaviour directly so they have to study this on two individuals that are genetically similarThat means twin studies!Identical twins – develop when a fertilized egg divides

into two parts that then become separate embryos • Because the twins come from the same egg, they share all

the same genes• Fraternal twins – develop in the ovaries by releasing two

eggs instead of one • Fraternal twins are just as similar as two other siblings, so

half their siblings genes but not like identical twins that share full

So is nature more powerful or nurture?!Findings from adoption and twin studies have

shown that there IS genetic contribution to personality

Identical twins raised in separate places with different parents still have very strong similarities in gestures, mannerisms and moods

So, their personality is as similar often as how they look

Heritability is about 50% of a persons personality – this is true for many countries and cultures

But remember…Genetics are still not everythingA genetic predisposition does not mean you

will necessarily inherit the trait A person may be predisposed to depression,

but without certain environmental stresses or situations, he/she still may never become depressed

Simplifying depression or shyness as just a genetic contribution is a problem because we would see the only solution to this to be medication

Social Cognitive Learning Theory This theory represents that personality traits

come partly from your learning history and partly from your resulting expectations and beliefs

Ex).

Child that studies hard and gets good grades, attention from teachers, admiration from friends and praise from parents through learning expects hard work always pays off.

So, the child will become in terms of these traits, “ambitious” and “hardworking”

Social Cognitive Learning Theory continued…The continual interaction between your

qualities and the situation you are in is what this theory focuses on

The situation influences your behavior and beliefs, rewarding some behavior while getting rid of others reciprocal (mutual) determinism

ExampleYou are in Ms. Seemi’s INCREDIBLE psychology

class. This may inspire you to become a psychologist because you love the class SO much. Or this may also make you psychoanalyze yourself so much that you feel like you are going crazy, making you hate the class. All of these experiences work with your own interpretation, temperament and perceptions. So you will probably form an opinion about psychology as a result of how you feel about this class, your wonderfully patient psychology teacher and this school.

Parents and Friends2 most powerful environmental influences in

peoples livesApril 1999 – columbine shooting Dylan and

Harris were 2 teenagers furious over the popularity of the school athletes and resentful about their inadequacies. They walked in one morning, killed 12 classmates and a teacher at the high school. They also took their own lives shortly after.

Parent’s fault for not raising them better? Should the parents have known?

Parental Influence continuedThe belief that personality is mainly

determined by how parents treat their children was quickly changed after the following: 1). The shared environment of the home has

little if any influence on personality 2). Few parents have a single child-rearing style

that is consistent over time and that they use with all their children

3). Even when parents try to be consistent in the way they treat their children, there may be little relation between what they do and how they turn out

1). Shared environment in homeShared environment – family you grew up with and

background/experiences you shared with your siblings

Nonshared environment – all things outside of your home on your own, such as being in my class right now

So in summary, this point is talking about how the family you’re raised in isn’t always the main thing, it actually has little to do with it, it has more to do with your experiences outside of the home and away from your family that shape you such as being in school and hanging out with your friends

2). Parents rarely have one way or raising their childrenThe way a parent is with their child depends

on many factors such as their mood at the time, their stresses and problems, whether they are married or separated and also how happy they are with their partner if they are married.

3). Even if consistent, there is little relation between parenting and how children turn out

Abused children sometimes do not continue the cycle of violence and don’t let the abuse do them emotional damage

Some of the kindest and most nurturing parents are children of drug addicts and gang members.

Parental influenceOf course your parents do influence you in

things such as religion, your ideas of masculinity and femininity, skills and values

Above all, parents affect the quality of their relationship with their children – whether their children feel loved, secure and valued or humiliated, frightened and worthless

Study on effects of parentingStudy done on children age 3-21Impulsive, uncontrollable and aggressive at

age 3 often become impulsive, unreliable and antisocial and more likely to commit crimes

What protected some children from being at risk was having parents who made sure they stayed in school, were supervised and received discipline

Influence of Nonshared environmentOnce child starts preschool, parental

influence on children's behavior outside of the home decreases

Nonshared environment or classmates, teachers, friends, events and situations take over