Chapter 5 SOCIALIZING THE INDIVIDUAL

1. Chapter 5 SOCIALIZING THE INDIVIDUAL Section 1: Personality Development

2. What is personality? • Social skills? • Social appeal? • Popularity? Or lack thereof? • To Social Scientists personality is “the sum total of behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and values that are characteristic of an individual.” • No two personalities are exactly alike…

3. NATURE vs NURTURE debate… • THE CASE FOR “NATURE”…Some Sociologists believe it is heredity that determines personality & social behavior (heredity – the transmission of genetic characteristics from parents to children.”) • The “nature” stand says that much of human behavior is instinctual (an unchanging, biological inherited trait) and this instinct drives personality development. • “Sociobiology” theorists emphasized the nature viewpoint, arguing that most human social life is determined by biological factors.

4. More NATURE vs NURTURE… • The case for “NURTURE”… this theory states that a person’s behavior & personality are the result of his or her social environment & learning. • Scientist Ivan Pavlov found that certain behaviors thought to be instinctive could actually be taught. • Most sociologists reject the nature AND nurture theories as singular explanations & instead believe that personality results from blending hereditary & **environmental influences .

5. Factors Social scientists see as key to personality development… • HEREDITY • BIRTH ORDER • PARENTS • CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT • Heredity: certain characteristics are present at birth & they include certain aptitudes (capacity to learn a skill).

6. Factors that determine personality • Heredity: Example: a musically talented child born to 2 musician parents (the child has the aptitude innately; the parents & home environment help to develop it). Aptitude (capacity to learn) a particular skill is also believed to be hereditary (ex: athleticism; talent for music &/or art) • http://www.3smartcubes.com/pages/tests/aptcomplete/about_aptitude.asp • http://www.iqtestforfree.net/iq-scale.html • BIRTH ORDER: whether we have siblings or not impacts personality development. Only children, first borns, middle children, last borns (the “babies”) and later borns all share certain personality characteristics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zw8_SQLZ-A

7. Factors that determine personality… • PARENTAL CHARACTERISTICS: parental personalities influence the development of their children’s personalities. The age of parents, their education level, religious beliefs, cultural heritage, economic status, & occupation – all influence the types of personalities their children will develop. • What parental characteristics have shaped your personality??

8. Cultural Environment… • Different cultures tend to give rise to specific personality traits. Each culture has a “model personality” – for example most Americans are competitive, assertive, and a strong sense of individualism. (In Japan, individualism is discouraged…) Cultural attitudes regarding gender also influence personality development.

9. Some very different ideas & influences … • IK children of Uganda…thrown out of homes at age 3? Parents don’t help kids & kids don’t help aging parents? Survival of the fittest! • Extreme negative effect of isolation in childhood – feral children (wild/untamed children) • Anna & Isabelle; Genie – some times the effects of prolonged isolation cannot be reversed (video) • Institutionalization children often share characteristics of isolated children (failure to thrive, very slow mental, physical & emotional skill development)

10. How about your own personality? • Create your own personality development profile…use this T-chart set up, give it some thought and complete the chart… • NATURE NURTURE | | | Heredity parents/cultural inf.