How do the biological and environmental factors shape one’s personality and
Behaviour?
As personality is a complex concept there are number of factors that go to shape the personality of an individual. Some of the general factors are:
1. Genetic Factors.
2. Physique.
3. Environmental Factors.
4. Personal Response.
Genetic Factors:
The effect of genetic factors on personality is not direct as there is little evidence that there is a causal relationship between inherited factors and personality traits, such as co-cooperativeness, aggressiveness and honesty. Hereditary factors exert their effect upon the organism through the constitution make-up.
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The organism responds to the external world with his psychological mechanisms which the hereditary factors control. Heredity affects the endocrine gland structure which in turn affects the behavioural traits of an individual.
Hereditary plays an important role in endocrine structure and its functioning. The endocrines such as thyroid, pituitary, pancreas, gonads and adrenals pour hormones directly into blood stream.
Effect of Body-build on Personality:
The laymen believes that the big muscular boy is dominant and aggressive, the fat girl is jolly and easy going and that the lean and thin person is serious and tense. Some psychologists have tried to relate body structure to personality traits.
Body build has a relationship with personality trait, but it should be remembered that in most cases the relationship between physique and behaviour is a result of social behaviour; for example, a child who is suffering from some physical handicap is rebuffed by his peers and is considered loss worthy than the normal one.
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No direct causal relationship can be assumed to exist between body structure and personality traits.
Environmental Factors: The environmental factors that play a-significant role in shaping the personality of an individual are his home, his socio-economic status, community’s educational institutions, government, community, religious institutions, local customs and mores.
Home is the most important environmental factor that shapes the personality traits of children. Socio-economic status of children and youths affects their personality trail through different social goals, ideals and attitudes.
The School can also improve the home conditions by giving parents prop; guidance as regards in improvement in nutritional standards and beautification of homes and other sanitary conditions.
Society:
The neighbourhood, sub-culture and general culture have also,potent influence upon what a child will be.
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Sibling relations:
Brothers and sisters are called sibling.
It is seen that a sibling-less only child tends to become overprotected an self-centered unless the parents deal with the child differently
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The eldest child happens to be an only child till the second is born what the first is “dethroned” from the function of solitary affection. It general’; develops jealousy in him or her.
Children in intermediate positions have mixed experiences they may tend to suffer more from inferiority feelings generated by comparison. The youngest child is never deprived of the affections of parents and may turn into a spoilt if “babied” child.
Mass-media:
The mass media radio, television, the newspaper and the magazine or the comic, etc. communicate to the child the styles of the various sub-cultures in the total culture. Certainly the variety makes the child aware of other forms, objects and styles and creative tensions in him. Thus we see that the personality development is a resultant of two main factors:
(i) What we are (heritage)
(ii) What we have (environment)
But there is also another factor which should not be lost sight of. It is the individual’s response. Two persons perceive the same stimuli but they react to them in quite different ways.
One’s response is an outcome of one’s potential (heritage) as acted upon by environment. Thus, one’s personality is the resultant of three forces; what one is, what one has, and what one does.
